New York City Mayor Eric Adams signed legislation Thursday to curb the city’s rat population.
“I hate rats,” Adams said. “And we are going to kill some rats.”
“We’re making clear that rats don’t run our city. New Yorkers do,” he added.
WATCH OUT, RATS!@NYCMayor signed a new set of bills that will create rat mitigation zones and put into law new trash set out times to reduce the amount of time bags sit out on city curbs.
We’re winning this war on rats. pic.twitter.com/wDOj4aKxpT
— NYC Mayor’s Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) November 18, 2022
The four bills Adams signed will create rat mitigation zones, codify garbage set out times, and reduce rats in construction areas and other buildings prone to rodent infestations, Adams said. The following measures build off legislation Adams signed last month that reduces rats and trash on the streets.
“We hear it over and over again that people are concerned about the over-visualization of rats in their community and the infestation and just really the anxiety that they bring,” Adams said. (RELATED: Starving Rats Are Cannibalizing Each Other Amid The Coronavirus Pandemic)
“Rats hurt the quality of life in our city and cause real damage to our homes,” he added. He specified that the rat problem has cost New York businesses millions of dollars.
“There have been 110 mayors in this city and they’ve all dealt with this crisis of rat infestation,” he said. “For far too long, the population of rodents have been able to roam around this city with a level of impunity and we’re saying no to that.”