News Photo by Crystal Nelson Ron Williams, a resident at Lincoln Manor, is pictured in his apartment in this August 2020 News archive photo.

HARRISVILLE — Two Lincoln Manor residents have sued the apartment building and its management firm over what they call “uninhabitable” living conditions because of an ongoing bed bug investigation.

Through their attorney, Perry Schneider, of Cochran Firm Detroit, residents Myrtle Kilbourne and Ron Williams ask for at least $25,000 and other damages.

No answer was filed by the defendants as of today.

Neither Schneider nor Barb Corona, chief operating officer of Lincoln Manor management firm Prime Properties Management, could be reached for comment today.

Corona previously said in a statement to The News the company has contracted Rose Pest Control to check the apartment building regularly and to address any evidence of bed bugs they find. The pest control company has brought in canine crews to sniff for bed bugs in every one of the units.

Residents have complained of bed bugs for months and the infestation has prevented the Alcona County Commission on Aging from providing some services to residents there. The Commission on Aging filed a complaint with the state Attorney General’s Office, which closed the agency’s complaint without taking action but did not say why.

The lawsuit was filed on Nov. 24 in 23rd Circuit Court in Harrisville.

The lawsuit claims living conditions at Lincoln Manor violate the Housing Law of Michigan and violate the Michigan Consumer Protection Act by misrepresenting the apartments’ fitness for habitation.

Williams moved into his unit in November 2019 and noticed bed bugs in his apartment about a month later. Kilbourne entered into her lease in April 2020 and noticed bedbugs shortly after moving in, according to the lawsuit.

“The bed bugs were in the Plaintiff’s bed, mattress, kitchen appliances, furniture, and clothing,” the lawsuit stated. “The bed bugs latched onto the plaintiffs while they slept, sucking their blood until they were gorged, and resisted eradication.

“Plaintiffs have suffered from numerous bed bug bites, which continue to cause pain, discomfort, annoyance, sleeplessness, inconvenience, humiliation, anxiety, ongoing mental and emotional distress,” the suit adds.

Williams was evicted from his apartment in November and has until Jan. 25 to find another place to live. Prime Properties accused him of smoking in his apartment while on oxygen, which is against apartment rules. Williams denied smoking in his apartment.

The lawsuit also claims the management company received numerous complaints regarding the bed bug infestation, but says those complaints went unresolved.