Asthma in Red Hook Series, part 4: Vermin by Brian Abate

There are a lot of different triggers of asthma but among the most common ones here in New York City are pests including rats, mice, and roaches. Unfortunately, they are all over the city, and while they are a problem for all New Yorkers, they are especially detrimental to those who have asthma.

In an attempt to address its rat problem, NYC has implemented a rule which requires residents to put out their trash at a later time. The start time for NYC residents to put out trash has been moved back from 4 PM to 8 PM as of April 1. Residents can put the trash out at 6 PM or later if it is in a container with a secure lid.

On March 14, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso’s Department of Constituent Services brought the NYC Department of Health’s ‘Rat Academy’ to the Brooklyn Public Library (10 Grand Army Plaza.)

“Until we win the fight for containerization of trash bins on every street in every borough, it’s important that we do everything in our power as residents, as business owners, and as neighbors to contribute to a cleaner and healthier borough,” said Reynoso. “We want to figure out a way to ensure that we do the best possible to address an issue which is getting out of control.”

During a presentation at the event, it was stated by multiple members of the NYC Department of Health that the way to get rid of pests permanently is by taking away their food, their shelter, and their water. However, that’s easier said than done as both rats and roaches are able to reproduce very quickly.

Additionally, mice can fit through holes that are just a quarter of an inch in size while roaches are able to squeeze through gaps of just three millimeters. One of the best ways to keep pests out of apartments is by blocking off any possible holes that they can squeeze through but it can be difficult to find them and often involves moving furniture or appliances to fill them.

Try 311 (some have)

One of the key points in the presentation was that residents should call 311 and leave their contact information when they notice a pest problem whether it’s in a building, in a park, or on a street corner. Those giving the presentation said that anyone in attendance dealing with pests could speak to them directly after a Q & A period.

There were a lot of frustrated people including one man who said “For years I have been leaving detailed messages with my name. For years I’ve been calling 311 and still, nothing is getting done. I don’t know what more I can do.”

When will NYCHA do something?

The issue seems to be especially common in NYCHA buildings including the Red Hook Houses. Many of the people in attendance live in NYCHA buildings and voiced their frustration over how little has been done about pests in their buildings, with one woman saying “NYCHA doesn’t do shit about it.”

The NYC Health website states, “Property owners are legally required to keep rats out of homes,” and NYCHA buildings are not exempt from that requirement.

An exterminator who spoke at the event said that it takes more than just using traps or poison to get to the root of the problem. He also said that experiments have shown that using things like peppermint oil or spray won’t prevent mice from coming inside apartments. It’s often a long-term commitment, and it takes neighbors, co-workers, and exterminators all being on the same page and working together to get rid of pests.

Ross Joy, director of housing and civil justice at the Red Hook Community Justice Center provided a booklet that he often gives to tenants/landlords who have rats on their property. Step one in the booklet is looking for evidence of rats such as droppings, teeth marks, or footprints. Step two is cleaning up the droppings, getting rid of clutter, and controlling weeds and shrubs.

The next steps are the same ones mentioned during the presentation which include, cutting off their food and water sources, blocking off any holes that can allow them to fit into buildings, and then having professional exterminators use rodent bait to wipe them out.

The issue of pests in NYC is an ongoing and frustrating one but the Justice Center is a great resource. Call Ross to see if they will be continuing their online training classes. More information can be found by looking up ‘Rat Academy’ on the NYC Health website.

Brian Abate