NYC already has the “rat czar”!

NEW YORK — Beware of rodents! There’s a new Rat Czar in town.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced Wednesday that Kathleen Corradi has been named the Big Apple’s first director of rodent control (or, as New Yorkers refer to the position: “rat czar”).

The newly created role will require Corradi to plan and coordinate the strategies of city government agencies, organizations and the private sector to reduce the city’s rat population and address a quality of life and health challenge.

“New York City has done a lot recently when it comes to tackling public enemy number one: rats. rats in all five boroughs, and today I am proud to announce that Kathy Corradi is New York City’s first Rat Czar,” Adams said in a statement. “Kathy has the knowledge, the drive, the experience and energy to send the rats packing and create a cleaner, more welcoming city for all New Yorkers.”

Corradi earned a bachelor of science in biology from Eckerd College and a master of science in urban sustainability from the City College of New York, according to the mayor’s office. She began her career as an elementary school teacher in downtown Brooklyn and a program director at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. He developed the New York City Zero Waste Schools program under the DOE’s Office of Sustainability, the nation’s largest Zero Waste program, reaching more than 350,000 students. the neighborhood rodent reduction task force.

Corradi will report to Chief of Staff Camille Joseph Varlack and will work closely with Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi and Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom, according to the mayor’s office.

“Rat mitigation is more than a quality of life issue for New Yorkers,” Corradi said in a statement. “Rats are a symptom of systemic issues including sanitation, health, housing and economic justice. As the first Director of Rodent Mitigation, I am excited to bring a systems and science-based approach to the fight against rats. New York City may be famous for (the admitted meme) Pizza Rat, but rats and the conditions that help them thrive will no longer be tolerated: no more dirty sidewalks, uncontrolled spaces or cheeky burrows. I’m honored to lead this work, grateful to Mayor Adams for this opportunity, and look forward to sending the rats packing.”

On Wednesday, the mayor also announced the new Harlem Rat Mitigation Area and an investment of $3.5 million beginning in fiscal year 2023 to increase and accelerate rodent mitigation work throughout Harlem.

On Wednesday, the mayor also announced the new Harlem Rat Mitigation Area and an investment of $3.5 million beginning in fiscal year 2023 to increase and accelerate rodent mitigation work throughout Harlem.

“Building on this $3.5 million investment for rodent mitigation in Harlem, Kathy will lead our multi-agency effort to test new mitigation techniques, expand outreach and education efforts, and increase maintenance and remediation work. The rats are going to hate Kathy, but we’re thrilled to have her leading this important effort,” Adams said.

The launch of the Harlem Rat Mitigation Zone will cover Community Meetings 9, 10 and 11, and includes 28 NYCHA properties, 73 NYC Parks locations, nearly 70 public schools and more than 10,000 private properties. DOHMH, NYC Parks, NYCHA and DOE will receive $3.5 million in funding for rat mitigation work in Harlem and to test new and emerging technologies to control rats.

As part of this work in Harlem, private properties will be inspected twice a year for rat-related violations and the appropriate violations will be issued. Municipal sites will be inspected monthly.