Chicago’s Infamous Rat Problem Won’t Go Away Under Current Plan, Audit Finds

An audit by Chicago's Office of Inspector General found the city's rodent abatement program prioritizes reactive poisoning of rats over proactive solutions like monitoring sanitation and addressing infestation root causes. The report criticized the Department of Streets and Sanitation's Bureau of Rodent Control for not implementing Integrated Pest Management standards, though the department claims recent improvements. Rat complaints have decreased since a pandemic-era spike but remain a persistent issue.