IPM Educator Training in Public Housing Project

Project Details

Year: 2006 - 2007
Location: Boston, Cambridge, Waltham, Lexington, Lowell, and Fall River
Project Manager: Pat Hynes, Center for Healthy Homes and Neighborhoods at Boston University School of Public Health
Partners: Don Rivard, Rivard's Resources, The Boston Housing Authority, The Cambridge Housing Authority,The Chelsea Housing Authority, Waltham Housing Authority, Lowell Housing Authority, Fall River Housing Authority, Lexington Health Department, Boston's Inspectional Services Department, Housing Inspection, Boston Public Health Commission, the Committee for Boston Public Housing

Overview

Residents, building managers, property owners, housing authorities, and pest control contractors each have a role in controlling pests. The goal of this project is to educate public housing authorities as well as private multi-family property owners about smart, targeted techniques to control pests without the use of toxic chemicals. In its first year, the project involved a four-part Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Educator Training Program for the Boston Housing Authority, the Cambridge Housing Authority, local code enforcement personnel, residents and housing advocates to transform their pest management processes into safer and more effective operations. This IPM Educator training empowered both residents and management to improve the delivery of pest management services, enhance the quality of multi-family living and reduce routine pesticide use by focusing on alternative pest management strategies. Public health officials were also invited to participate and learn about these strategies. The Project also involved translation of existing training materials into Spanish, Portuguese, Creole and Vietnamese.

In the second year of the project, follow up technical assistance was provided to Cambridge and Waltham housing authorities. IPM training was also provided to private property owners in Lexington in partnership with the Lexington Board of Health and housing authorities in Boston, Lowell and Fall River.