Rats are a growing problem in the Edgewater neighborhood in Linda, climbing into car engines, chewing through wiring, and scurrying between yards, according to residents. Homeowners in Linda near Marysville describe rodents damaging vehicles and raising fears about disease.
Tennasity Tidwell, who has lived in Edgewater for years, told CBS Sacramento she had never dealt with a rat problem in the neighborhood before this year. That changed when a neighbor texted her a warning after spotting a rat climbing onto a vehicle and heading straight for the engine. Tidwell said rats are now getting into cars to chew on wires and moving freely through yards across the neighborhood.
Tidwell said she contacted county services about the infestation but has not seen anyone come out to address it. According to her account, county services instead directed her toward hiring private pest control, which she has since paid for out of pocket, and a pest control crew has treated her property. Still, Tidwell believes the problem is far bigger than any single home, saying rat nests appear to be scattered throughout Edgewater.
Neighbors Describe Daily Rat Encounters
Another Edgewater resident, who spoke anonymously, told CBS Sacramento that rat activity has become part of the morning routine, requiring extra precautions before heading to work. That resident said rats have triggered a car alarm before ever getting inside the vehicle, and that children in the household filmed a rat lurking beneath the family car. The same resident said rats are eating through car wires and slipping into other homes in the area.
Yuba County told CBS Sacramento it has no formal complaints on file for the specific address raised by residents. A county spokesperson acknowledged that rat activity can increase during harvest season, attributing the uptick to rodents displaced from surrounding agricultural fields. Yuba County's nuisance ordinances are enforced by its Code Enforcement division, which handles land-use regulations and nuisance abatement. Officers act once a violation is confirmed.
Yuba County Agriculture
Yuba County recorded $262 million in total agricultural production value in 2024, with rice and walnuts each generating roughly $50 million, according to the Territorial Dispatch.
The scale of the broader problem is significant. A 2025 California Department of Food and Agriculture survey found that surging roof rat populations affected more than 100,000 acres of Central Valley farmland, causing an estimated $109 million to $311 million in crop and infrastructure losses, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Vehicle Damage in Edgewater
Residents have reported vehicle damage, including rats chewing through car wiring.
Tidwell told CBS Sacramento she is concerned not just about damaged vehicles but about the possibility that the infestation could make people sick.
Public Vector Control and Private Pest Control
Part of residents' frustration stems from confusion over which agency is responsible. The Sutter-Yuba Mosquito & Vector Control District conducts mosquito surveillance and control in Yuba County. Public vector control and private pest control are distinct services.
Linda is an unincorporated census-designated community of 21,654 residents between Olivehurst and Marysville. Yuba County handles code enforcement in unincorporated areas.
