New York City is making impressive strides in the fight against its longstanding rodent problem.
According to city statistics, rat sightings have reached their lowest levels since the pandemic era, signaling a successful outcome from the robust anti-rodent initiatives implemented during Mayor Eric Adams’ tenure. This progress is evident as the data for the first half of 2026 indicates a marked decline.
During the initial seven months of this year, approximately 9,900 rat-related complaints were logged. This is the first occurrence of such reports dipping below the 10,000 mark within this timeframe since the year 2020, based on data from the 311 service.
This figure represents a dramatic 22% reduction from the numbers recorded over the same period last year. Former Mayor Adams lauded this remarkable decrease as a significant victory in the ongoing war against rodents—a campaign he passionately initiated back in 2022.
“A decline in rat sightings isn’t achieved overnight. Our strategy was to simply cease enabling their survival,” Adams explained to The Post on Wednesday. “We implemented several measures like containerization and maintained a strong focus on the problem. Now, we’re witnessing the benefits of years of persistent efforts.”
“People used to come to me all the time and say, ‘What did you do with all the rats? Do we need to do more?’ Yes, there are still communities where we need to invest.”
Reports for “rat sightings” during the seven-month timeframe have been falling each year since 2024, according to the data, which was first reported by Bloomberg.
These sightings hit a peak in 2022, when 16,230 reports of squeaky pests were called in between January and August — prompting Adams to officially declare the “war” that fall.
Programs like the Empire Bins have apparently been among the most productive, with rat sightings dropping in the few neighborhoods that have installed the massive on-street trash cans.
“Mounds of leaky, smelly black trash bags on our streets have served as an all-you-can-eat buffet for rats, but the era of those bags is drawing to a close,” said Vincent Gragnani, a spokesperson for the Sanitation Department.
“More than 70 percent of all trash is now required to be in sealed containers, and in 2031, New Yorkers will see ALL trash in sealed containers. The data is clear that containerizing trash delivers cleaner streets and fewer rats.”
Manhattan Community Board 8 has seen 35% fewer rats since the bins were installed last summer, a change neighbors say is more than noticeable.
“In this area there used to be a lot, a lot, a lot,” said Susana Merlin, 59, who works as the bookkeeper for El Porton Mexican Cuisine on Broadway.
“A while ago you couldn’t walk because there was rat traffic on the [sidewalk]!”
James Fuentes, 20, a server at the neighboring Toast Bar, said tourists have been screaming less at night since the Empire Bins have been installed.
“I’ve heard people scream, you know, tourists scream at night,” he said of the times before the rat fight began.
“The rats are going to every restaurant that has trash overflowing outside,” Fuentes explained, pointing to a pair of dumpsters across the street, “where that dumpster is, it’s probably where they’re all at, or the places that aren’t fortunate enough to have these [bins].”
Johnny Peñufiel, an employee at Trufa Pizzeria, said he was grateful for the city’s work on reducing rats, but said it was time to move on to the next problem.
“Now we have homelessness. That’s a big problem. Some people are mentally crazy.”