Rat action plan set to target Harlem-area hotspots
NEW YORK -- The Big Apple's newly designated rat mitigation zones have the highest numbers of complaints and inspections, and they need the most help. Around one block of Hamilton Heights, the beasts find feasts of trash.
Videos showing rats flooding the trash on sidewalks have been flooding District 7 Council member Shaun Abreu's inbox lately. The rodents can even be seen darting around in the daylight.
"The administration knows where they're coming from," Abreu said. "It's just a matter of deploying the resources and getting them out as soon as possible. But I got to say that it's significant that Harlem is getting special treatment."
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At 545 W. 146th St., one man inspected his recent poison work, finding the body of one victim, which alerted others to the danger there. The allure of the feast proved to be too irresistible for the remaining rats seen scurrying through the piles.
"The rat knows where to get its food, and we have to cut those food supplies." Abreu said.
Trash piles high despite a new set of ordinances designed to limit its time outside. The rules went into effect April 1.
"If it's containerized, it should be out at 6 p.m.," pointed out Abreu. "If it's in a trash bag, after 8 p.m."
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A block away on West 147th Street, rats are a regular sight when Esther steps outside her building, attracted by trash at the nearby school and restaurants.
"I just saw, oh, there's the trash here," Esther said outside the school, where burrows are visible. "There's the rat home. We have a symbiotic situation happening here between the humans and the rats."
One solution reducing her family's waste is the compost bin at the end of the block.
"I press unlock and then I just open it," she said, showing the app she uses on her phone.
Of the four new rat mitigation zones, this one has the highest priority. Across Harlem, the city will distribute $3.5 million to combat rats, focusing on buildings with the most complaints.
"They're being issued a lot of health violations, and there has just been a neglect, I believe, by a lot of landlords," said Abreu.
The city's new rat czar, Kathleen Corradi, will hire a dedicated team to inspect and exterminate Harlem hotspots, with monthly check-ins on city properties like the school on Esther's block. From burrow blockers to killer concoctions, the city is investing in a variety of tools to send the rats packing.
"You'll be seeing a lot more of me, and a lot less rats," Corradi said at a recent news conference.
The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene wants to hear your thoughts on the proposed rules for the rat mitigation zones. The comment period concludes with a virtual public hearing May 4. To learn more, click here.
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