New York City's first-ever "rat czar" Kathleen Corradi will step down from her position as citywide director of rodent mitigation, Mayor Eric Adams' office confirmed. Initially appointed in April 2023, Corradi's departure, set for October 10, follows her tenure of more than two years spearheading the city's efforts against its notorious rat population. During her time, the city saw a decrease in rat sightings, with the mayor praising her work which will "continue at full steam," as reported by THE CITY.
While Corradi was appointed with a fanfare of announcements, she exited the role quietly, communicating her departure through an internal email inviting colleagues to farewell drinks. Despite having been credited for a citywide drop in rat sightings by the Mayor, the specifics of her $176,000-a-year role remains somewhat ambiguous, perhaps shadowed by the pressing inquiries of a freedom of information law request for Corradi's daily schedules since June last year, that is still pending fulfillment as Gothamist indicated.
In her functions, Corradi not only coordinated city agencies to implement sanitation efforts like garbage containerization but also established the "Rat Pack," an educational program aimed at equipping New Yorkers with knowledge and techniques for reducing rat presence. Her efforts were recognized when she hosted the city's first rat summit, which was noted as an instrumental gathering for exchanging effective strategies against the rodent menace. Speaking to the significance of her role at a recent event, Corradi stated, "It is not a job of one. It's a job of many," highlighting the collaborative essence of her office as stated to Gothamist.
As Corradi moves on to become senior vice president for resident services, partnerships and initiatives at the New York City Housing Authority, her rat mitigation legacy includes the introduction of mandatory trash containerization that led to decreased rat sightings by 16.4% citywide compared to the previous year. Mayor Adams, facing a challenging independent candidacy reelection in November, is left to steward the rat offensive without one of its key leaders. The mayor has crafted a narrative around taking personal responsibility for rodent control, having said, "I don’t want New Yorkers to believe that they have to depend on the government to really handle the rat problem," according to an interview obtained by THE CITY.
