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Public Housing Residents Demand Action On Living Conditions

Residents of Crystal Towers say there is a major bedbug problem there, among other issues. EDDIE GARCIA/WFDD

A group of over 100 residents of Crystal Towers, a public housing complex in Winston-Salem, are speaking up about living conditions at the property. Crystal Towers provides housing to the elderly and people with disabilities.

Residents say there is a major bedbug problem there, among other issues, and are going to the Housing Authority of Winston-Salem with a list of demands.

They are asking HAWS for more robust pest control. Currently, residents are given a bug-powder called diatomaceous earth that they apply themselves, and they say it's not doing enough. 

Samuel Grier with the group Crystal Towers United says exterminators aren't killing the eggs of these biting pests. He says they keep coming back, and they're all over his floor. 

“There was nothing but red spots where I had stepped on them,” says Grier. “And those red spots were a piece of me. It was my blood. It's a torment.”

Crystal Towers United also wants to see improvements on security, maintenance, and access to a shared community room.

Officials at HAWS say they look forward to working with residents and call the demands “areas of need and opportunities for growth.”

Eddie Garcia is WFDD’s News Director. He is responsible for planning coverage, editing stories, and leading an award-winning news team as it serves the station’s 32-county listening area. He joined WFDD as an audio production intern in 2007 and went on to hold various roles, including producer, Triad Arts Weekend co-host, reporter, and managing editor. When he’s not working, Eddie enjoys spending time with his family, playing guitar, and watching films.

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