Today’s Headlines: Are Rats Bad News for Rittenhouse Realtors?


rittenhouse rat

Photo by Bradley Maule

We’ve all known they’re there, but seeing a video is something else. Under the headline “Rats living large in Rittenhouse Square,” philly.com’s Emily Babay posted a video taken on Sept. 23 that will horrify all but the staunchest rodent fans. In the film, large rats run back and forth across the grass — and when we say “large,” we mean “gigantic.” And so many of them!

This is the second time the Rats of Rittenhouse are getting bad press; Philly Mag’s Victor Fiorillo did a piece on them in May.

This can’t be good news for brokers who market the Square as an upscale locale, which, of course, it is and always will be. And never fear: Many years ago, when rats were a problem in the park, poison was employed and they all died (as did the squirrels, which was really a shame). The city will find a way to get rid of them.

In other news…

According to Newsworks, Rob Dubow, Philadelphia’s Director of Finance, prefers Mayor Nutter’s tax surcharge to City Council’s plan to sell vacant School District properties for an optimistic total of $50 million.

A Betty Boop home in Mt. Airy — need we say more?: The Inky’s Virginia Smith looks at a homeowner besotted with Betty Boop

Is it a battle between safety and discrimination? Philly.com reports that Council member Maria Quiñones-Sanchez believes the new rules for building demolition may negatively impact smaller “minority-owned contractors.”