Abby Connolly
If you’ve ever lived or been to New York City, chances are, you’ve encountered a rat on the street.
Over the years, New York City rats have become increasingly a part of New Yorkers’ lives. You can see them while waiting for the subway, dodge them as you walk on certain streets at night, and you need to keep your apartment extra clean to avoid them coming into your home.
Yet, in many cases, they still do.
Although many like to joke about the rats in New York City, they’ve become a serious issue requiring action from the Mayor’s office. NYC’s rat population has become massive, as The Atlantic estimated there are approximately 2 million rats across 90% of the city.
In addition, rats have become increasingly present in lower-income neighborhoods.
The rats can carry dangerous diseases and are generally not pleasant to have in your home or crawl near your feet as you sit on a park bench.
Back in December, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced he would be hiring someone to oversee the city’s rat problem specifically. This month, he finally named Kathleen Corradi, the city’s official director of rodent mitigation. She’s also known as New York City’s ‘rat czar.’
“Rats impact how you feel about the city that you’re in, and that’s why we’re taking this serious,” said Mayor Adams at a recent press conference.
Kathleen has worked for New York City’s public school system for years, working on various sustainability and science projects. Her job as director of rodent mitigation will not be an easy one.
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