Claremont Residents Say Overflowing Garbage Is Leading To Major Rat Problem In Community
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Families in one Bronx community are speaking out, saying streets overrun with trash and a major rat problem are robbing them of their quality of life.
Rats are inherently part of city life as much as the noise, the traffic and the trash, but it's that overflowing filth that people in the Claremont community say is inviting in the rats worse than ever before.
"The rats are running across your feet like crazy," Claremont resident Nadine McLeod told CBS2's Jessica Layton.
McLeod says they are overrunning the outside of a New York City Housing Authority complex at the corner of Third Avenue and East 170th Street, wreaking havoc on the same blocks where moms push strollers, kids play hoops and the elderly sit outside.
"It's horrible," McLeod said.
"Every night, we have to literally jump Double Dutch just to go in the building. It's bad. They, like, chase us in the building," Claremont resident Shy Jackson said.
"They cross the street. They run back and forth," another Claremont resident said. "I have to stomp, kick them off of me."
Neighbors say garbage that gets left on the sidewalk is a major part of the pesky pest problem.
"It's a lot of the people that live here, too. We have to stop doing a lot of stuff, too. We have to learn how to tie up stuff," McLeod said.
"Clean the garbage," Jackson said.
After CBS2's Jessica Layton questioned the city about the issue, she saw sanitation officials come inspect the area.
The sanitation department says it picks up residential waste around the intersection three times a week: on Tuesday, Thursdays and Saturdays. Residents want that more often.
CBS2 also saw workers start to haul away some mess, but the truck drove away leaving a lot of the pile behind.
Layton asked the sanitation department why? A spokesperson says sometimes when garbage is stuck under a car, they have to come back for it. He says that's one of the reasons it's important for everyone to do their part and put trash where it belongs.
CBS2's Jessica Layton contributed to this report.
