Let’s face the facts — New York City has had a long-standing issue with rats. The city’s high population density, widespread waste disposal, and extensive subway system provide an ideal environment for rats to thrive. Rats are notorious for infesting buildings, streets, parks, and even subway cars, causing damage and spreading diseases.

The city government has been taking measures to control the rat population through various means, including increased trash pickup, rodent-resistant trash cans, and the use of rat poison in areas with high rat activity. However, the problem persists and has continued to be a challenge for the city until now.

Mayor Eric Adams has appointed Kathleen Corradi as the city’s director of rodent mitigation, also known as the “rat czar.”

“You’ll be seeing a lot of me and a lot less rats,” Corradi said Wednesday after an introduction by Mayor Eric Adams.

New York city street — Photo Credit: Samson Katt

Improving New Yorkers’ Quality of Life

Kathleen Corradi, an urban sustainability specialist and former elementary school teacher, was selected from a pool of 900 applicants. Corradi has a personal history with rats, having campaigned for anti-rat measures in her childhood neighborhood and worked as a garden coordinator at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

In her new role, Corradi has pledged to tackle the problem of litter, garbage, and food waste that attract rats. She will be responsible for selecting new strategies and products to combat the city’s ongoing rat problem.

“Rat mitigation is more than a quality-of-life issue for New Yorkers,” said Corradi. “Rats are a symptom of systemic issues, including sanitation, health, housing, and economic justice. New York may be famous for the Pizza Rat, but rats, and the conditions that help them thrive will no longer be tolerated — no more dirty curbs, unmanaged spaces, or brazen burrowing.”

“He hates rats. I hate rats. Every New Yorker hates rats,” Corradi said. “Rats are tough but New Yorkers are tougher.”

The mayor has allocated $3.5 million towards rat control efforts in Harlem. These funds will go toward introducing new strategies and hiring additional staff to inspect, exterminate, and clean public areas affected by rats.

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