There's a persistent rodent problem plaguing neighborhoods throughout Boston. From Dorchester to Roxbury and into Allston, rats continue to multiply with faulty trash storage and absentee landlords fueling the fire.
“It’s a huge issue where we have large complexes with overflowing dumpsters, or not enough garbage cans,” said Rat City Arts Festival Director, Ricky Meinke.
City councilors have spent years trying to address that very issue, notching a win to close out 2024. The legislature gave the green light to a rise in code enforcement fines from a max of $300 to $2,000.
“Some of the big landlords who aren’t keeping their properties up are just seeing a $300 fine as just the cost of doing business,” said District 9 Boston City Councilor Liz Breadon.
Citywide data seems to back that up. Between 2020 and 2024 over 165,000 improper trash storage violations were recorded with over 45,000 citations for overfilled dumpsters.
“Persistent offenders would get the maximum fine,” said Councilor Breadon, “If they’ve been given feedback to improve they aren’t doing it, that’s when you come in with the heavy guns.”
While that’s a welcome step, Ricky Meinke says it’s just one piece of the puzzle.
“Our leaders need to pay attention to the experience of tenants, pay attention to the experiences of those living amongst the rats,” said Meinke.
Gov. Maura Healey still needs to sign the new code enforcement fines into law, one of many bills that were sent to her desk in the waning hours of 2024.
