Oh, rats!
Mayor Eric Adams — who has emphatically vowed to rid New York City of vermin — was slapped with a $300 fine Tuesday after rodents were discovered at his Brooklyn townhouse.
City inspectors determined that the conditions of Adams’ Lafayette Avenue rental property in Bedford-Stuyvesant encourages “the nesting of rats,” specifically the recyclable storage area in front of the home, according to copies of the summons and decision obtained by The Post.
The decision, handed down by the New York City Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings, cites photos provided by Hizzoner himself showing recyclables being stored in plastic bags — not rodent-proof bins.
The Big Apple mayor, 62, also “failed to credibly rebut the allegation or establish a valid defense,” Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings Hearing Officer Samantha Chetrit wrote.
Adams had previously vowed to rid the city of vermin. Stephen YangThe fine comes after the Adams administration posted a plum job listing in December for a Director of Rodent Migration, or so-called rat czar, to cleanse the city of the critters — a position that pays between $120,000 and $170,000.
Homeowners who put trash on the curb before 8 p.m. will also soon be fined under a new law Adams signed in November. The current threshold to put garbage out is 4 p.m.
“I’ve made it clear I hate rats — and we’re gonna kill some rats,” Hizzoner said at the bill-signing in Manhattan at the time. “We’re putting a dent in our rodent problem.”
Additionally, Adams had rolled out garbage bag bins in Times Square and Brooklyn Heights to keep rodents out of trash that would otherwise collect on the street.
The rats have eaten through garbage near Adams’ property, with officials pointing to a recycling storage area as the problem. Gregory P. Mango
Meanwhile, a second December summons that cited the self-proclaimed rodent-hater for rat burrows and droppings at the townhouse — which he rents out while living in Gracie Mansion — was dismissed after Adams testified last week that he had spent some $7,000 on rodent removal, the judgement on the citation showed.
Adams had claimed that the infestation was actually on his neighbor’s property and provided an 11-minute video in an attempt to illustrate his point.
The court ruled the video evidence was insufficient — but applauded the mayor’s rat removal efforts, noting he had provided “credible proof” of plans to control a vermin infestation.
Eric Adams pictured announcing the results of a pilot program aimed at curbing the rat population around Brooklyn Borough Hall when he served as borough president in 2019. AFP via Getty Images
Adams had claimed that the infestation was actually on his neighbor’s property. AP“In sum, Respondent credibly established a pest management plan in place prior to the issuance of the summons to prevent pest infestations through his specific, ongoing efforts,” Chetrit wrote.
The Democrat now has the right to appeal the first decision and the $300 fine within 35 days, sources close to the case said.
City Hall said Tuesday that the mayor was reviewing his options.
“The mayor is grateful that one of the two summonses was dismissed, and he is reviewing the second decision,” Press Secretary Fabian Levy told The Post.
“One decision is clear, however: The mayor still hates rats.”
The latest legal developments were first reported Tuesday by Bloomberg.
