Philadelphia names first rat abatement manager to fight infestations

Overview

Updated 1 hour ago

Philadelphia named its first rat abatement manager on Oct. 28. Adrian Jordan, a two-decade Public Health Department veteran, now coordinates the city's response to a rat problem that City Council recently called an urgent public health emergency.

The appointment follows a unanimous Council resolution passed Oct. 8 targeting lower Northeast neighborhoods where residents report rats entering homes and chewing through car wiring. Jordan's first task is door-to-door surveys in Oxford Circle and Castor Gardens, with a public complaint dashboard planned.

Why it matters

One city official now owns Philadelphia's rat problem — but only if he can force departments that don't normally coordinate to work together.

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Key Indicators

1st

First rat abatement manager in Philadelphia history

Adrian Jordan is the first person to hold the newly created position.

20+

Years Adrian Jordan worked at the Health Department

Jordan rose from field investigator to Vector Control crew chief before the appointment.

unanimous

City Council vote on rat emergency resolution

Council unanimously approved the Oct. 8 resolution urging agencies to coordinate.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

People Involved

Adrian Jordan

Rat Abatement Manager, Philadelphia Department of Public Health

Newly appointed to lead city rat control efforts

Cherelle Parker

Mayor of Philadelphia

Announced the rat abatement manager appointment

Organizations Involved

Philadelphia Department of Public Health

Municipal government agency

Housing the new rat abatement manager position

The city agency responsible for public health, including vector control and rat abatement.

Philadelphia City Council

Municipal legislative body

Declared rat infestations an urgent public health emergency

The legislative body that unanimously passed a resolution urging multi-department coordination on rat control.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)

Animal rights nonprofit

Sent open letter suggesting rat birth control

Animal rights group that wrote to Mayor Parker suggesting birth control instead of traps or poison.

Timeline

3 events Latest: 2 days ago

October 2026
Philadelphia names first rat abatement manager
Latest Appointment

Adrian Jordan, a 20-year health department veteran, was appointed to coordinate the city's rat reduction efforts, with door-to-door surveys planned for the lower Northeast.
2 days ago
City Council declares rat emergency
Governance

Council unanimously approved a resolution urging city agencies to treat rat infestations in lower Northeast Philadelphia as an urgent public health and quality-of-life emergency.
October 8th, 2026
PETA suggests rat birth control
Advocacy

PETA sent an open letter to Mayor Parker suggesting the city use rat birth control instead of traps or poisons.
October 2026

Scenarios

Rat czar cuts complaints in lower Northeast

Possible Resolves by Oct 28, 2027

Discussed by: Mayor Parker, who said the expanded approach 'starts today' with Jordan's appointment

Jordan's door-to-door surveys in Oxford Circle and Castor Gardens identify problems residents never filed complaints about. The planned tracking dashboard gives the city real-time data on where rats are. Between removing trash sources, sealing vacant properties, and pressing other departments to act, confirmed complaints drop noticeably within a year.

Coordination stalls, infestations persist

Possible Resolves by Oct 28, 2027

Discussed by: Jordan himself, who acknowledged the city lacks control over other departments' timelines

A new title doesn't come with new legal authority. Jordan can ask other departments to act but can't compel them. Vacant properties stay open, trash pickup gaps remain, and rat complaints hold steady or rise. The appointment becomes a symbolic gesture without structural change.

Rat emergency becomes a permanent city program

Possible Resolves by Oct 28, 2027

Discussed by: City Council, which passed the urgency resolution calling for multi-department coordination

Public pressure and the visible appointment push City Council to go further. Council creates a standing rat abatement program with dedicated funding, permanent staff, and possibly new rules on trash storage or vacant property maintenance. Jordan's role expands from coordinator to program head with real resources.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

1347-1351

The Black Death (1347-1351)

Bubonic plague, carried by fleas on rats, swept through Europe starting in 1347. It killed an estimated 25 million people — roughly a third of Europe's population — within four years.

Then

The death toll reshaped labor, economics, and social structures across Europe.

Now

Cities began developing quarantine systems and sanitation practices, a slow recognition that urban cleanliness affects disease.

Why this matters now

Rats aren't just a nuisance; historically they've been a disease vector. Philadelphia's city government is treating its rat problem as a public health issue, not just a cleanliness complaint.

1858

The Great Stink of London (1858)

In the summer of 1858, the Thames was so choked with sewage that Parliament considered relocating. Cholera outbreaks had killed thousands in prior decades, and the stench was overwhelming.

Then

Parliament authorized construction of a massive sewer system, completed by 1875, ending the city's worst sanitation crisis.

Now

London's sewer system became a model for urban sanitation reform worldwide, showing that public health crises can create new governance structures.

Why this matters now

Like London's response to the Great Stink, Philadelphia's rat czar appointment is a governance response to a public health crisis — creating a coordinator to solve a problem spanning multiple agencies.