PHOENIX — Neighbors in a north Phoenix neighborhood say they've been battling a wasp infestation for months without any resolution.
"See these little holes? Yeah, they'll go in these little holes," said Jaty Edwards, a homeowner in north Phoenix.
Edwards walked us through his neighborhood, near Interstate 17 and Dove Valley Road, telling us he's tackling the wasp infestation block-by-block.
"It's affecting people's kind of quality of life here in the community," said Edwards.
They have found wasp nests in bushes, outdoor light shades, roofs and swarming swimming pools.
"To say your home is like your safe space, where you can relax and feel comfortable, but then you're not even able to go in your own backyard... I think that's a problem," explained Edwards.
We're told this has been going on every summer for the past four years and continues to get worse. Edwards says, as a parent, his biggest concern is protecting his children.
"I can see them going around to the house," said Edwards.
Some have had pest control come out, but we're told the problem is so widespread that unless all neighbors in the area take action, the wasps will keep coming back.
"Even with everything we're doing, it's not enough. So, at what point is the HOA - the kind of governing body that we look to - going to help us out? They send us to the city, city says they only handle bees, not wasps. City says go back, talk to your HOA... back-and-forth like that," said Edwards.
Other homeowners said they've reached out several times but haven't received much of a response. Part of the reason is that a managing company is a middleman between homeowners and the HOA board members.
"We probably should communicate with the board directly, because it appears that they do not know what's going on," said Sarah Watson, homeowner in north Phoenix.
Watson hopes the HOA can at least take care of the common areas and possibly give homeowners a deadline to get rid of wasp nests on their private property.
"It's the health and safety. I've been stung multiple times; my sons have been stung multiple times. We had people over for holiday events; they've been stung in my own pool. Now they won't even come over here," said Watson.
ABC15 reached out to the HOA, although they have declined to comment.
"I guess if the definitive answer is 'you'll never get any help,' then we'll start looking to sell the house and move on to somewhere else," said Edwards.
In the meantime, they'll continue stepping up.
"Letters to the neighbors, just communicating where we've seen wasp activity on their property," said Watson.
