Raccoons keep trying to get in Harlem apartments
NEW YORK (FOX5NY) - Raccoons aren't afraid to take what they want. Now people in Harlem say some of the animals are trying to take over their buildings.
Rodell Lee is the super of a building on Amsterdam Avenue in Harlem. But lately he feels like some of his tenants aren't people -- they're raccoons.
"They scrounge around, they go in people's apartments, they rip out the screens on the windows," he said.
Around the corner, another building has the same issue. Our camera didn't catch any because the creatures mostly come out at night but one tenant showed us a picture he took of a raccoon on top of his AC unit.
We spoke with another neighbor who said she used a broom to scare away some raccoons trying to get into her home.
Residents said the raccoons go up and down the fire escapes, climb onto window sills, and go through their garbage. They said this has been going on for about a year and a half and the problem is only getting worse.
We reached out to several city agencies, including the mayor's office. They responded quickly and sent a link to the city's new website that easily allows New Yorkers to report wildlife sightings, though tenants doubt it will help.
A spokesperson from the Department of Health said property owners are responsible for removing raccoons and should hire a state-licensed trapper.
Many tenants and a board member Fox 5 News spoke to are feeling hopeless because they suspect some of their neighbors are carelessly leaving food out.