Rat Swarms Grow As NYC Trash Builds Up, Officials Say

NEW YORK CITY — New York politicians on Tuesday gathered in Harlem to pressure the city's government to reverse course on a recent change in garbage pickup they say is adversely affecting small businesses and the livelihoods of residents.

In a news conference, New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer said a recent change in budgeting and procedure that reduced trash pickup schedules from daily to three days each week has, in essence, created a "welcome mat for the rats of our city."

Stringer said rat sightings in the city have gone up more than 60 percent since the change in trash pickup, affecting both local businesses and tourism.

Piles of waste seen around the city are more than a sanitation issue or eyesore, he said. To Stringer, they're a symptom of health and economic issues and can even contribute to more litter, crime and disrespect for neighborhoods.

"I say to the mayor today: Wake up. Get out here and see what’s going on," the comptroller said. "This is the city that you manage. Own it. Stop throwing your hands up because you had to make a small budget cut to the sanitation department, which is less of a cut than other agencies have taken. This is a poor excuse for bad management."

New York Sen. Brian Benjamin echoed the sentiments of Stringer, saying a lack of sanitation is tied to disinterest from government and a decline in quality of life.

"It’s bigger than trash. It's the visible manifestation of lack of interest, of lack of resources," he said. "It’s all interrelated."

Congressman Adriano Espaillat (D-NY 13th District) joined Stringer's conference to discuss ongoing community efforts to clean up the city.

"The reason we do it ourselves is because trash in the street is a horrible example for the rest of the community," he said. "When you see a lot of garbage in the street, you almost think you can do just about anything and get away with it."

Espaillat referenced "Pizza Rat," a social media post that went viral in 2015 depicting a rat making away with an entire slice of pizza in New York City.

"Now, this is like rat city because of too much garbage in the street," he said.

Also attending the news conference were City Council member Bill Perkins and Barbara Askins, president and CEO of the 125th Street Business Improvement District, both of whom joined in on the call to city officials.

"This is a city wide issue," Askins said. "Harlem is now showing we care and that we aren’t just going to sit back and take it because of cuts. I’m calling on our government to keep the leadership alive."

The city cut $106 million from its sanitation department's budget in June, according to a report from CBS. Pickup from the city's litter baskets was cut by 60 percent.