Rats are on New York City’s radar and the city wants rats to be on your radar too. In an effort to increase awareness of rat infestations, the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene recently opened an online Rat Information Portal. The website tracks rat activity throughout the five boroughs, making it easy to identify the city’s most heavily infested neighborhoods. Using health department inspection information, the website also provides a history of rat infestations in various neighborhoods and specific buildings. This historical information provides a helpful tool for commercial developers considering a move into one of these areas.

Tips for Navigating the Portal

The Portal is relatively user friendly, but a few navigation tips will help you find the information you’re looking for more quickly:

• Read the Quick Start Guide before you use the site.

• Enter the location you want to search.

• To see infested and inspected areas, you have to click on Show Rat Inspections on the Map link at the bottom of the right-hand navigation box.

• To see the color-coded data, you have to zoom in the map nearly to the + sign on the top left tool bar.

• Clicking on a specific location will provide details about rat inspection reports.

If rats are active in your area, contact Stern’s experienced rat control experts. We provide commercial rat extermination services throughout the Greater New York City and northern New Jersey area.