Dear Legislator,
As a City Council member, I am writing to make you aware of a state regulatory matter with potentially far-reaching ramifications to our community.
Specifically, the California Department of Pesticide Regulations (CDPR) is considering imposing dramatic and unnecessary restrictions on termite and other fumigations to kill pests in homes and apartments. I have heard from a wide range of residents, businesses and advocacy groups that are voicing concern about how CDPR’s proposal could compromise public health and seriously disrupt our local real estate market.
It is my understanding that California already has the world’s most stringent regulations in this area and that there is no new scientific evidence or public health issue that warrants any change to the current process.
People throughout our community would be hit hard by these new restrictions:
- More than 70 percent of all fumigation companies in Southern California
are owned and operated by Latino families - Nearly 85 percent of all workers are Latino
- Fumigation is a requirement for home mortgages – more red tape will be more costly and hurt our real estate economy
- Working families will be forced to spend more money they don’t have to leave their homes or apartments for longer periods of time
- Fumigation helps keep structures strong and able to withstand earthquakes. Reducing incentives to maintain dwellings could lead to greater loss of life and property when the Southland is hit by the next big earthquake
- Fumigation also kills bed bugs, cockroaches and rats, which spread disease
- These are just some of the complaints I am hearing, so I wanted to make you aware of what is taking place at CDPR.
On behalf our community, I would appreciate your review of this matter and ask for your support in requesting CDPR to refrain from imposing any new regulations that are not grounded in science or public health, but will only hurt our residents and businesses.