Resident tells council of severe bed‑bug infestation at Bannett/Bankhead Towers; city staff to follow up

During the public‑comment period, Theresa Gardner, a resident of Bannett/Banquet Towers (a downtown high‑rise), told the council that the building suffered a widespread bed‑bug infestation affecting floors 1 through 15, that multiple residents required medical attention, and that elevators were frequently out of service, complicating evacuation and access for residents with disabilities.

Gardner said management relied on sporadic, inadequate pest treatments and that residents feared retaliation or homelessness if they reported problems. "The whole building from the 1st Floor up to the 15th Floor is infested with bed bugs," she said, and described multiple hospital visits and broken elevators that forced handicapped residents to descend many flights of stairs.

Councilors and staff responded by outlining immediate steps: the council's chief of staff and the Office of Senior Citizen Activities will collect Gardner's contact information; the council urged the resident to file a complaint with HUD and the health department, and staff said an inspector had visited two weeks earlier regarding elevator safety (a separate matter). The mayor's office said HUD has oversight responsibilities for the property and that local health and HUD officials should coordinate mandatory building‑wide treatment and enforcement if needed.

Councilor Rafferty and others said they would make follow‑up visits and coordinate with HUD, the health department and the Office of Senior Citizen Activities to ensure residents receive housing and health support. Staff indicated they had already contacted a maintenance contractor and would pursue mandatory treatments if the health department and HUD concurred.

The council asked staff to take Gardner's information and to report back on next steps.