Days Before Leaving Office, Mayor Adams Names ‘Rat Czar’ and Launches Rodent Bureau

In one of his final acts as mayor, Eric Adams signed an executive order Wednesday creating New York City’s first-ever Mayor’s Office of Rodent Mitigation, complete with a mayor-appointed “rat czar” to oversee the city’s ongoing battle against furry, four-legged invaders.

The new office will work across city agencies, community groups, and private partners to keep Gotham’s rat population in check, while also leading public education and outreach efforts. Adams framed it as a continuation of his “War on Rats,” making sure the city’s rodent-fighting strategies have a permanent headquarters.

City Hall reports that rat sightings have been falling for 12 months straight, thanks in part to public awareness campaigns and the Department of Sanitation’s push to containerize 70% of city trash, a move that cuts off the rodents’ all-you-can-eat buffet. Last summer, a special squad even treated 600,000 street tree beds with carbon monoxide to trim down the critter ranks.

Local community groups, including the District 35 Rat Task Force and the Sterling Place Rat Mitigation and Awareness team, welcomed the move but stressed that a coordinated approach is crucial to prevent a rodent resurgence, especially after the city’s first rat czar, Kathleen Corradi, stepped down earlier this year.

Adams touted the city’s progress in rodent control and said the new office will help keep New York livable, though exactly how much it will cost taxpayers remains unknown.