Clarissa Alayeto lives at the Patterson Houses in the Bronx and says at night the rats are horrifying. She immediately took out her phone and did a Facebook live to show the problem, feet away from playground.
“This is a rat playground and the sad part is our kids come out and the play here. It’s a health hazard,” said Alayeto.
PIX11 did see a New York City Housing Authority worker cleaning up the trash Monday.
Last April Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a citywide $32 million initiative implemented at ten developments to crack down on rodents; it includes new trash cans and using dry ice.
“They are always chasing the smoke and not putting out the fire. There are bigger issue. It’s not just picking up the trash, it’s finding out why you have garbage bags on the fence and why we don’t have trash receptacles,” Alayeto said.
A NYCHA spokesperson says “the Patterson Houses is not in the Neighborhood Rat Reduction zones, but will continue to be monitored and treated regularly by our staff. NYCHA staff are in the process of ordering thick plastic garbage cans with lids and installing wire mesh over window wells to deter rodents. Dry ice cannot be used here.”
PIX11 will be back to make sure the problem is fixed.
If you have a story, send a selfie video to Monica Morales at monica@pix11.com.
