Dedicated teams will address rat infestations in street tree beds. Image Credit: Benny Polatseck/Mayoral Photography Office
On June 22, 2025, the Adams administration announced the launch of new teams to add in the city’s ongoing efforts to reduce rat populations citywide. The city has reserved $877,000 in permanent funding to create the teams and hire twelve full-time staff for inspections and related services for street tree beds.
Prior to the investment, there was no dedicated mitigation or enforcement team for street tree beds, which were the subject of over 2,300 rat-related complaints to 311 last year. Previously, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene was responsible for addressing rats in street tree beds, but these teams will now directly address those types of complaints. There are approximately 600,000 street tree beds citywide.
Mayor Eric Adams stated, “Today, we are embarking on a new era of urban pest management. Our administration is announcing a $877,000 investment to get rats out of 600,000 street tree beds across the five boroughs. By cleaning up trash and hiring a team of experts to clear out burrows while caring for our trees, we are reclaiming public space, fighting rats, and improving quality of life for all New Yorkers. Our administration continues to build on the work we are doing to end the dominance of trash and rats on our streets.”
Director of Rodent Mitigation Kathy Corradi stated, “Rats have historically exploited street tree beds as they sit at the cross section of the private and public realm and are adjacent to food sources and travel pathways. Along with the tremendous efforts to clean our curbs and educate property owners, the Street Tree Bed Rat Mitigation program deepens the Adams administration’s commitment to creating a cleaner and pest-free New York City.”
Parks Commissioner Iris Rodriguez-Rosa stated, “New Yorkers love their tree-lined streets, and it’s our job to ensure that these vital green spaces remain healthy, clean, and safe. For too long, rats in street tree beds have gone unaddressed — undermining the hard work of both city agencies and local communities. With this new investment, we’re closing that gap. By combining science-based, non-toxic approaches with dedicated staff, we’re protecting our trees, our neighborhoods, and our quality of life.”
By: Veronica Rose (Veronica is the Editor of CityLand and a New York Law School graduate, Class of 2018.)