At Marble Houses in the Bronx, one resident says she has been dealing
with a rat infestation for weeks, leaving her afraid to be in her own home.
Chantelle Sullivan lives in this NYCHA complex with her two
children, and right as News 12's team entered the apartment, a rat came out of hiding
to greet everyone.
Video from the resident shows the rat sitting on her
windowsill unbothered, later running off and leaving behind feces in its path –
a daily occurrence for Sullivan and her two children.
Sullivan told News 12 she has reached out to NYCHA multiple
times to seek a permanent solution or transfer. She says they have placed steel
wool in areas of her kitchen but have not done anything else.
The large rats are now greeted by traps that
cover the floor of the apartment.
News 12 received the following statement from NYCHA:
“NYCHA exterminators will treat the unit this evening for
rodents and pests and prioritize any follow-up until extermination is
completed. NYCHA uses an
Integrated
Pest Management (IPM) technique to evaluate areas where pests have
been reported and treat those areas by reducing food, water and shelter.
Ensuring that our buildings and grounds are clean and as pest free as possible
is a top priority at the Authority, and we will continue to address pests after
they are reported to us.”