Hippie Christmas prompts bed bug, insect discussion

TVs, school supplies, old furniture up for grabs during yearly move-out days

MADISON, Wis. — The yearly chaos when students move out of their current apartments and into their apartments for the next year is happening in downtown Madison the next couple of days.

Leases for apartments turn over Thursday into Friday, and the massive move means Hippie Christmas on many downtown streets near campus.

Students are dumping what they don’t want on the curb, which is everything from TVs and school supplies to old furniture.

Officials with the Tenant Resource Center are urging people to be mindful of bed bugs and other insects when picking up stuff off the street.

“Tenants are always very concerned they’re going to be charged a thousand bucks for the heat treatment (to get rid of bed bugs),” said Anders Zanichkowsky, program director of the Tenant Resource Center. “Landlords are very concerned that if the tenant doesn’t report it, it’s going to spread to all their units before they even know about it.”