At Francis Heights, a senior housing tower near Sloan’s Lake, a 71-year-old resident says her apartment has been crawling with bedbugs for nearly a year, and her family is running out of patience and money.
The woman’s daughters say they are trying to move her out because the infestation has made daily life unbearable. They describe their mother as lonely and depressed and say the cost of replacing clothing and furniture to avoid spreading the pests would hit the family hard. Other residents point to a stack of maintenance issues they believe are piling on hardship for the seniors who live there.
Resident Reports and Online Complaints
According to Westword, the 71-year-old resident says bedbugs have inhabited her apartment at Francis Heights, 2626 Osceola Street, for about ten months, and that weekly pest treatments have not cleared the problem. Photos published with that reporting show dark specks on a mattress, and her daughter Linda Dow told the outlet, "She had a bedbug crawling out from her shirt."
The same article points to online reviews alleging bedbug issues dating back roughly a year and, in at least one review, as far back as 2018.
About the Building
Francis Heights is owned and operated by Mercy Housing. The organization’s property page lists the building’s address as 2626 Osceola Street and says the community contains 383 apartments. The Mercy Housing listing describes Francis Heights as a large, service‑enriched senior community that offers on‑site resident programming and support services.
Mercy Housing Response and Federal Oversight
Mercy Housing told local reporters it is "proactively addressing concerns" at Francis Heights, saying it is conducting inspections, working with residents, and providing on‑site pest control, according to Westword. That reporting also notes federal inspection records indicating the property has not been inspected by HUD since 2022.
Project‑based Section 8 properties are required to meet minimum habitability and health standards under federal rules, as laid out in the Code of Federal Regulations.
Maintenance Complaints Go Beyond Pests
Residents say the trouble at Francis Heights extends well beyond bugs. They report frequent elevator outages, water shut‑offs, and unauthorized people sleeping in the stairwells.
Local television reporting has previously documented elevator breakdowns that left hundreds of residents stranded in the building and quoted seniors who said they missed medications and other essential needs while they waited for repairs. Those past outages add fuel to tenants’ frustrations about how the building is being maintained.
How Residents Can Report Problems
Tenants in HUD‑assisted properties can take complaints over habitability or management problems directly to HUD’s Multifamily Housing Complaint Line. HUD’s site lists the number as 1-800-MULTI-70 (1-800-685-8470) and explains that the clearinghouse will refer serious complaints to the appropriate field office.
Residents who believe their units fail to meet Housing Quality Standards can also ask HUD or local housing authorities about inspections and what enforcement steps might follow.
Legal and Regulatory Context
Properties that receive project‑based Section 8 subsidies must comply with federal Housing Quality Standards and HUD inspection protocols. Repeated or severe failures can lead to administrative actions or require formal corrective plans under federal rules. Advocates say that when large, subsidized complexes house vulnerable seniors, regular inspections and clear reporting pathways are especially important.
What’s Next
The 71-year-old resident’s family says they are searching for alternative low‑income housing but are running up against a shortage of options and the cost of replacing infested belongings. Mercy Housing says it has closed on financing to make upgrades to the Francis Heights building and has created a resident council and added evening security.
Residents and local advocates say they will be watching to see whether those promises turn into real improvements, and to see how, or if, HUD responds in light of the inspection record.
