In order to combat New York City’s rising rodent problem, the City Council passed a “Rat Action Plan” Thursday.
The package of bills contains four pieces of legislation aimed to mitigate rodent infestation throughout the five boroughs.
“The increased number of rodents results in more property damage, food contamination and disease transmission, as well as an overall impact on New Yorkers’ quality of life,’’ City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams said Thursday. “The Council is focused on improving the health and safety of our neighborhoods and this legislative package will bolster efforts to address the surge of rodents throughout the city.”
According to city data, 311 received over 25,000 calls reporting rats last year.
Two of the bills, sponsored by Councilmembers Chi Ossé, Shaun Abreu and Sandy Nurse, requires the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to issue an annual report on rat mitigation efforts in rat mitigation zones, submit the report to the Speaker Adams and Mayor Eric Adams and make the report available online for the public.
According to a press release, the report would describe the metrics DOHMH uses to measure the efficacy of rat mitigation in every zone.
“Today the City Council makes clear that we will stand our ground against New York’s public enemy number one; rats,” Ossé said.
As for trash, another bill — sponsored by Abreu and Nurse — calls for trash bins in buildings with high rodent infestations to be made of a material to decrease the infestation.
Councilmembers Erik Bottcher, Nurse and Ossé, and Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine also proposed a bill which would require construction permit applicants to certify that a licensed exterminator has been contracted for rodent extermination.
“Construction causes enough issues without having to also worry about increased rat activity,” Bottcher said in a release. “I’m proud that my bill with Borough President Mark Levine will ensure that rodent abatement is a part of any large construction project moving forward.”