Trendy NYC nabe sees 37% surge in rat sightings in 2026 — even as reports dip citywide

Source: New York Post

Rat-a-fooey! Manhattan’s East Village is experiencing a rodent resurgence with a whopping 37. 6% increase in rat sightings year over year — even as reports fell dramatically citywide this year, according to Big Apple public records. Community Board 3 in Manhattan — comprised of the East Village, the Lower East Side, Two Bridges and swaths of Chinatown — saw the critters surging despite significant investments in trash containerization and other anti-pest measures.