Noting the uptick in reported rodent activity since Hurricane Sandy flushed many of the critters inland, Councilwoman Jessica Lappin is calling on the city to enact a $500,000 plan to beat back the dirty rats. “As New Yorkers, we have a certain level of tolerance for rats,” she said. “But this is a real public health issue, and people are rightly concerned.”
Lappin’s plan, which has the backing of Council Speaker Christine Quinn, would have the city hiring additional pest control workers over a six-month period, which would cost nothing to rat-infested property owners. The Councilwoman cited significant increases in rat-related 311 calls in neighborhoods like the Lower East Side, Greenpoint, Carroll Gardens, and Red Hook.”In these communities that were hard-hit, where not everybody is even back in their homes, and communities where we’ve seen upticks where people are struggling, that’s where we should be spending our resources,” Lappin said. “Not in ticketing people, but the city should be doing some treatment and remediation.”
Next can we deal with cockroaches?
(Photo: Salim Virji/Flickr)
