StopPests in Housing hosted a webinar on August 4, 2015, to share a new approach to address hoarding in multifamily housing and its impact on pest control.

Through a partnership with the Boston University (BU) School of Social Work, BU School of Public Health, and the University of Nebraska, Omaha, the Boston Housing Authority (BHA) learned that clutter is often associated with an increase in pest reports among their residents. This can certainly be an obstacle to implementing a successful integrated pest management program. In this webinar, learn how you can use their experience, tools, and intervention program to train your own staff to help residents with clutter and hoarding issues. You and your staff will learn how to recognize, flag units, and rate the severity of clutter or potential hoarding, and then hear about an intervention that can empower residents to address hoarding behaviors.

Special thanks to speakers John Kane (BHA), Jesse Edsel-Vetter (Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership), and Jordana Muroff (Boston University) for sharing their research, knowledge, and experience.

View the PowerPoint slides as a PDF

(Note unpublished data and photographs have been removed from PowerPoint slides)

Boston Housing Authority's Living Unit Inspection Form

Hoarding Myths and Resources

HOMES Hoarding Risk Assessment Tool

Information on Motivational Interviewing;

IPM in the Home of Someone with Hoarding;

Hoarding, Housing, and Pests: A New Approach:

How to Talk With Someone with Hoarding;

More resources on hoarding: www.masshousing.com/hoarding;

Philadelphia Hoarding Task Force http://www.philadelphiahoarding.org/

The Bug that Won’t Go Away: your role in delusional infestation;

Talking about Pest Control brochure;

Help with housekeeping; and

Healthy Homes website.

NYS IPM Program’s Step-By-Step Guides to Bed Bug Management

Housing and Lease information, assessments, tenancy preservation, resources

Information, assessment instruments, therapy manuals, referral, resources

Local community task forces on hoarding

Support groups: www.messies.com; www.childrenofhoarders.com

Mental health & family therapists: www.abct.org; www.adaa.org

Professional organizers who specialize in chronic disorganization

Email stoppests@cornell.edu for more information or if you have any questions.

Clutter Image Rating Scale - Bedroom