Council Member Julie Won has accused housing developer Phipps of failing to control a rodent infestation at an ongoing development on Sunnyside’s Barnett Avenue, allegations that Phipps strongly denies.
Won stated that she conducted a neighborhood walkthrough with representatives from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and Kathleen Corradi, the city’s “Rat Czar,” on July 22 after receiving multiple complaints from local residents of rat infestations at the Phipps development at 50-25 Barnett Ave. Phipps is also redeveloping the nearby 100-year-old Phipps Garden Apartments at 50-1 39th Ave.
Won alleged that Sunnyside residents have been “forced” to live with dangerous rodent infestations because Phipps failed to properly exterminate rodents along Barnett Avenue.
“Year after year, my office has demanded proper extermination measures, inspections, and accountability,” Won said in a statement. “Phipps Houses continues to be negligent and refuses to comply and engage with the City’s Rat Czar. Tenants and neighbors are entitled to safe and clean homes, and we as a community must hold Phipps Houses accountable until there is immediate action taken to reduce rats in the neighborhood as legally required.”
Phipps Vice President and Chief of Staff Matthew Washington pushed back strongly, describing Won’s statement as “absolutely wrong.”
“We have an exterminator who comes on site regularly and we have a general contractor who manages that (rodent infestations),” Washington said. “The idea that we’re showing neglect or not paying attention is categorically untrue.”
He added that residents at the Phipps Garden Apartments can request regular extermination services, adding that there is no limit to to the number of requests that residents can make.
“If you walk along 52nd Street, you’ll see where the exterminator even put down bait boxes for rodents. We notify tenants that this is happening,” Washington said. “Are there mice and rodents in New York City? Yes, they exist, and so we work actively, aggressively to address it on a regular basis.”
He said Phipps did not participate in the recent walkthrough because Won’s office did not provide the organization with specific details.
“On multiple occasions, I have told [Council Member Won] that I would be more than happy to walk through the development site with her,” he said.
Washington noted that officials from the Health Department has visited the site and cleared it of any issues.
A spokesperson for the Department said the agency is aware of rat-related complaints in the area but said the issue had been addressed.
“Our inspectors did a site inspection in March and found conditions conducive to rats such as construction debris, tall weeks and dumpsters. We required the conditions to be corrected. When we returned for a compliance inspection, the conditions had been addressed,” a Health Department spokesperson said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Corradi said in a statement that she had taken “actionable steps” as Rat Czar to address the issue.
“The Adams administration works each and every day with our city agencies, partners, the City Council, and the community to make NYC clean and pest-free,” Corradi said in a statement. “I visited this site with Council Member Won and our Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, where we inspected areas of concern and made actionable next steps to resolve this rat issue. Have no fear – we’re tackling this serious quality of life issue and building a cleaner New York City for everyone.”
