City of Des Moines Facing Class Action Suit Over Bedbugs

A class action lawsuit has been filed accusing the city of Des Moines of not properly handling an extended bedbug infestation at a housing complex.

The Des Moines Register reports the lawsuit was filed Wednesday. It claims the city’s public housing agency put Royal View Manor residents in bad living conditions by not eradicating the bugs or warning residents about them. The suit says the pests were found in 2007 and were reported several times to the Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency.

City Attorney Jeff Lester declined to comment on the case Friday because he hasn’t received the lawsuit yet.

The suit involves 55 current and former residents. The apartment complex has 200 units for low-income elderly and disabled people.