rats

“Short term rentals / current and proposed legislation concerns”

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

I’m reaching out regarding Mayor Bowser’s proposed changes to short term rentals. Please indulge me with some context first that powers my alarm. And I’d like to be anonymous please.

I saw your recent posts on rats. In Brightwood they are bad, and on our block getting worse due to a short term rental that isn’t owner occupied and appears to be owned by a VA resident. There are numerous large parties generating lots of garbage. And in recent months no one is putting the trash in the alley. The piled up garbage on the property is feeding a surge in rats on our block.

For many, many months my neighbors and I have been going from DC department to department and to Airbnb directly to try to address the non-owner-occupied full time Airbnb (violation of current law) on our street and as noted the numerous parties that often exceed quiet hours and generate uncontrolled garbage.

In researching links to share with Airbnb, (more…)

“community effort to kill these effing rats”

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

Could get some traction on this rat abatement petition in Columbia Heights. We only need 6 more houses on the Kenyon/Lamont block between 11th and 13th St for consideration. Any help promoting this community effort to kill these effing rats would be appreciated. With the re-opening of Harriet Tubman any day now, this would be welcomed in this area.

In order to qualify for the block treatment, we need at least 15 unique households on the block or adjacent to the block neighborhood. Right now, we only have 9. Without the 15, we don’t meet the DC Health threshold. They’ve kept open the petition until Tuesday.

Other blocks can also sign up for treatment through this as well.”

And Concluding Our Rat Coverage, God Help Us, with “Councilmember Henderson Introduces Legislation to Increase Rodent Abatement Efforts”

By Prince Of Petworth

From the office of Councilmember Henderson:

“On Monday, June 22, Councilmember Henderson introduced the Rodent Education and Management Yields Results (REMY) Amendment Act of 2026. The bill targets eliminating food sources for rodents while protecting residents from health risks associated with untrained application of rodenticides. (more…)

Speaking of Rats – “Kingman Park Launches Year-Long Rat Fertility Control Study”

By Prince Of Petworth


“A rat in DC’s Kingman Park neighborhood is captured by the remote monitoring cameras deployed for research. Photo by Dr. Rebecca M. Gooley of WISDOM Good Works.”

“Dear PoPville,

Rats have been a hot topic in DC—from DC Health’s rat blitz to a swelling rodent population driven by climate change.

The DC Responsible Rat Management coalition just launched a year-long study in Kingman Park testing two approaches tailored to residential neighborhoods, including fertility control.”

From a press release:

“The DC Responsible Rat Management coalition has launched a year‑long study in the Kingman Park neighborhood to evaluate two strategies for reducing urban rat populations. Led by wildlife biologist Dr. Rebecca M. Gooley, the study tests a new rodent contraceptive alongside improved waste‑management practices.

In May, researchers began treatments across selected alleyways. Over the next 12 months, the research team, in coordination with a group of community volunteers, will track fertility control bait consumption and rodent sightings using remote sensing cameras. (more…)

“A Better Rat zapper?”

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

Anyone have advice as to how to make the rats more “Fully committed to the trap?” My old rat zapper actually worked well. The new model – sadly total fail.”

“Is the solution to DC’s rat problem… foxes??”

By Prince Of Petworth

Ed. Note: When my wife finally let’s me run for City Council HIGH on my platform will be ensuring the abundance of Foxes, Hawks, Eagles, and of course Black Rat Snakes. Also, please remember to vote for current candidates – you should have (or will soon) received your primary ballot in the mail.

“Dear PoPville,

Spotted on Columbia Road and 16th Street, NW at 11:45pm earlier tonight (Wednesday):

A fox returning to pick up what looks like a dead rat after being scared off by a passing pedestrian. (more…)

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