A class-action lawsuit filed Monday alleges the Omaha Housing Authority ignored and failed to eliminate bed bug infestations at high-rise apartments for low-income residents.
The new lawsuit, brought by a pioneering firm in bed bug litigation, comes after a challenging year for OHA in which the federally funded agency faced a flurry of court cases, new government regulations and mounting public pressure over maintenance issues.
The 15 current and former tenants named in the complaint claim the mostly unchecked biting insects have caused skin irritation, sleepless nights and mental anguish over several years.
The tenants, who represent 10 different OHA buildings with more than 1,000 apartments in total, are asking for monetary damages and a rigorous inspection and bed bug treatment program for the agency’s housing units.
Bed bug litigation specialist Jeff Lipman, an attorney for the residents, said the infestations in OHA are uniquely problematic because of how many buildings they afflict.
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