Residents of a longtime Kingsbridge housing complex say a rat problem has become so severe that some neighbors are afraid to leave their homes, and they believe a newly built apartment building next door is partly to blame.
Neighbors near 3991 Saxon Avenue gathered with local officials this week, describing rodents entering holes along the building’s base, garbage left outside and gaps they say were created during construction. As reported by News 12 Bronx, traps near the property included dead rodents, while the new building’s management had not responded to a request for comment as of publication.
Residents Point To Trash And Construction Gaps
The residents’ allegations do not establish that the newer building caused the infestation, but they say the timing is hard to ignore: The rat problem began after tenants moved into the rent-stabilized development. One longtime resident, who said she has lived in the area for 40 years, told News 12 that she had never seen conditions this bad.
Another resident described the rats as increasingly aggressive and bold. Neighbors are calling for immediate cleanup, repairs and the restoration of what they describe as safe and sanitary conditions around Amalgamated Housing.
City Guidance Calls For A Block-Wide Response
New York City’s Health Department says rats rarely exist on just one property, meaning lasting control can require a neighborhood response rather than a single round of extermination. The agency also says property owners must address garbage, clutter, holes and other conditions that can attract or shelter rodents, according to NYC Health.
Residents can report suspected rodent conditions through 311, which can trigger an inspection. Under the city’s housing code, the Health Department must make its best effort to inspect a covered rat complaint within 14 days, with another inspection possible if access or other issues prevent the first visit from being completed, according to the New York City Administrative Code.
Bronx Tenants Have Raised Similar Pest Complaints
The Kingsbridge dispute comes as other Bronx renters are also pressing officials over rodent problems. Earlier this month, residents at a building on Anderson Avenue in Highbridge told NBC New York that they were dealing with rats, cockroaches and bedbugs, underscoring how pest complaints can quickly become broader fights over building conditions.
For Amalgamated residents, the immediate demand is straightforward: remove the garbage, close potential entry points and stop the rodents from moving through the complex. Whether the new development is responsible for the larger infestation remains a question for inspectors and property managers, but neighbors say the problem is already too serious to wait out.
