PIC or TERRO [about 5% borax] liquid works for me.
I get about 3 ant invasions every couple of years of small black ants. They load up on the PIC or TERRO and take it home. After about a week, no more ants for several months.
The liquid bait does seem preferrable to burning down the apartment complex.
That Terro bait is very good. I like to see the massive amount of ants swarm around it, only to take it back to their nest and die a few days later. Is it unethical to kill ants? I hope not or I will be damned for all eternity.