Queens residents say they were unfairly fined after reporting rat sightings

NEW YORK — Rats are an all-too-familiar sight in New York City neighborhoods , but some Queens residents say that when they reported rodents to the city, they faced unexpected consequences.

91-year-old says she was fined after spotting rats running out of sewers

Esther Dalia, 91, never expected her bills to include expenses for rats. She claims she was fined for rats she reported running out of sewers, despite the hundreds of dollars she spent on extermination services.

"I have two summonses for $300 apiece, and we appealed it. They denied the appeal," she said.

She says the city repaved a buckling sidewalk where rats were believed to be burrowing but did not reimburse her.

Council Member Robert Holden says she's one of multiple constituents facing violations for rat sightings they reported to 311. He says these infestations included city property, such as sidewalk tree beds and rain gardens, with penalties even for residents who followed proper procedures.

"They picked up the phone, or they went to the app, and they are reporting it. They're doing their civic duty. They should not be punished for this," he said.

He submitted open letter to the " rat czar " Kathleen Corradi and the Department of Health and Human Services requesting a policy change to protect residents.

"It's going to discourage people from complaining about rats because if they do, they might get targeted," he said. "It's going to defeat the whole war on rats because people won't report them."

"The rat that we saw last night was the size of an adult cat"

While rat sightings reported to 311 were down 13% last year, some Queens residents aren't seeing improvement.

Cookie Barbara and her Middle Village neighbors say their unclean sewers and street litter are rat magnets.

"They're all over. They're all over," Barbara said.

"The rat that we saw last night was the size of an adult cat," Debbie Lavender said.

They even had to cancel the annual block party.

"'Cause we're afraid. We put food out, and they're going to come out and want to eat," Barbara said.

They say they'll do what they can with repellent and traps and continue to report sightings, hoping they don't wind up footing the bill.

The Department of Health and Human Services told CBS New York:

"When it comes to fighting rats, New Yorkers are our best partner-in-arms. And we work collaboratively with community members to fix conditions that lead to increased rats. That includes working with property owners through our Rat Academy, recruiting everyday residents to join the Rat Pack or issuing orders to correct conditions before they lead to violations."

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