Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Oh rats: CB3 reportedly tops in Manhattan for vermin

Community Board 12, which covers Washington Heights and Inwood, no longer has the worst rat problem in Manhattan, according to DNAinfo.

Per DNAinfo, the new honor goes to:

Community District 3 — which covers the Lower East Side, East Village and parts of Chinatown — earned the new No. 1 ranking for 2015, the Health Department said.

Well, I didn't see this report online just yet... The department reportedly ranks districts "based on measures of active rat signs, such as fresh tracks, droppings, holes and gnaw marks." (Mmmmmmm)

Anyway, you are welcome CB12!

Photo in Tompkins Square Park by Derek Berg

12 comments:

JQ LLC said...

Does this report include drunk bros, woo girls and bobo hipsters, opportunist landlords and predatory developers? They are...kind of rats.

Anonymous said...

I think it's time to start poisoning them again. Rats spread disease. I'm sorry if it means a hawk will die -- they're not doing much to help with the rats anyway.

Anonymous said...

They don't count pizza videos?

DrBOP said...

Active Rat Signs = Real Estate Ads

Anonymous said...

The City could bring back the bounty system - a nickel a tail. Even a dime - I am sure that would bring the rat population down.

Anonymous said...

Well, you can also add dirty tenants to that list as well. Most of the rat problem comes from restaurants who do not properly store their food. The more restaurants that open in the neighborhood the worse the problem will get. Not to mention residential tenants who never rinse their recyclables or properly dispose of trash and you have a perfect storm. Everyone needs to be on the same page to eliminate the problem.

Anonymous said...

Is that Amy Schumer?

Fipper said...

I'm actually surprised we're not No.1 last year. Seriously, it's gotten to a point where I would walk across the street when I see a trash pile up ahead during the warm spring/summer months. But hey, maybe this new title will keep potential glass box tenants away. (Yeah, I don't think so either.)

Laura Goggin Photography said...

There's poison everywhere, including TSP. Ultimately, it does nothing to control the problem, as people need to change their behavior. Public trash cans have been removed from street corners and those that remain are overflowing. Trash bags sitting on sidewalks all night attract vermin, as does poorly maintained private trash. We all know this. It comes down to personal responsibility, which is severely lacking.

On another note, the rats are attracting natural predators. The resident red-tailed hawks are not the only ones who have moved in to take advantage of the fine LES rat offerings...

Gojira said...

"CB3 reportedly tops in Manhattan for vermin" - I know, the disgusting creatures are EVERYWHERE. Scooting around the sidewalks, running around on the subway platforms, rustling around in the garbage, throwing up in the gutter, peeing in doorways, shrieking like banshees the moment a drop of booze is introduced to their immature systems - hell, they've taken over the neighborhood. Why, I - wait, what? Oh, you were talking about RATS? Sorry, my mistake.

Scuba Diva said...

At 9:40 AM, Anonymous said...

Well, you can also add dirty tenants to that list as well. Most of the rat problem comes from restaurants who do not properly store their food. The more restaurants that open in the neighborhood the worse the problem will get. Not to mention residential tenants who never rinse their recyclables or properly dispose of trash and you have a perfect storm. Everyone needs to be on the same page to eliminate the problem.

Well, that's never gonna happen. It's a big deal that we've even got some of the people separating their recyclables in the first place.

Why don't we stop calling it a "rat problem" and start calling it a "rat situation?"

g whiz said...

All the active construction sites must be a factor to this as well