HOUSTON – Dozens of rats have made Houston’s City Hall their nocturnal playground, scurrying across sidewalks and diving into burrows on the building’s front lawn just days before the city’s annual holiday tree lighting ceremony.

“You can be sitting on them benches, they come right there. They ain’t gonna run away from you,” said Chris Bates, a Houston resident.

The rat problem has become severe, to say the least. After the sun goes down, you can easily find dozens of rodents running around the front lawn in Herman Square, near the reflection pool, across sidewalks and through the shrubs.

The timing couldn’t be worse for city leaders.

This weekend, Houston plans to host its annual “ Deck the Hall ” celebration and mayoral tree lighting ceremony at the very location where rats have e

See Full Page