Residents at a downtown Ypsilanti apartment building say their homes are so overrun with insects that day-to-day life has turned miserable. Tenants report waking up with bites, watching trash pile up outside, and spraying or covering furniture in insect repellent while they wait for something more than a temporary fix.
Tenants report bites and worsening conditions
Several tenants told Local 4 that they have been finding insects on beds and furniture and waking up with fresh bites. One resident said she counted about nine bites in a single day. Renters say the infestation has started to interfere with work and basic routines, including preventing one woman from donating plasma, which she relies on to help cover expenses. These accounts were shared with reporters at the property, as reported by ClickOnDetroit.
Years of complaints and a 2025 tenant rally
Current and former tenants, along with past reporting, say the building has drawn repeated complaints over the years and was the focus of at least one organized protest in 2025. Residents at that time alleged that building management had changed hands multiple times while long-standing maintenance issues went unresolved. Student journalists who covered a February 2025 rally documented renters calling out persistent cockroach problems, heating troubles, and missed trash pickups as ongoing concerns. Their coverage described a pattern of frustration that tenants linked to frequently changing managers and owners, according to The Eastern Echo.
Owner says professional pest treatment is underway
Responding to the latest wave of complaints, the building’s owner told reporters it has “retained a professional pest control company and is actively treating 108 Washtenaw for cockroach activity.” The owner said it is also aware of bed bug reports in two units and that both are scheduled for professional treatment this week. The statement also noted that there had been an eviction in one of those units just days earlier, according to ClickOnDetroit.
How tenants can seek city help
The City of Ypsilanti operates a rental inspection program that requires rental properties to maintain a Certificate of Compliance and gives tenants a way to file maintenance or health complaints with the building department. The city’s rental inspections guidance lays out how to submit a complaint, what inspectors look for, and what enforcement tools are available when conditions may threaten health or safety. Details on the program and the complaint process are available on the rental inspections page at the City of Ypsilanti.
For now, tenants say they plan to watch closely as follow-up treatments are carried out and to keep pressing building management and city officials until they see lasting improvements. Local journalists report they will continue tracking developments and will update the public as pest control efforts and any city actions move forward.
