Rodent Control in the Mission District

The Mission takes its name from Mission San Francisco de Asís, founded in 1776. Around 1900 the neighborhood was mostly single-family houses and two-family flats, and building picked up after the 1906 earthquake. The northwest corner along Dolores Street is known for its Victorians. It's also often warmer and sunnier than the rest of the city, since the hills block a lot of the western fog.

Old buildings plus a lot of food is the short version of why rats do well here. Valencia from about 15th to 22nd, Mission Street and 24th Street are lined with restaurants, taquerias and corner stores.

Flats and Old Victorians

A two-flat Victorian has had well over a century to settle. Foundation vents lose their screens, old gas and water lines leave holes in the basement wall and the back stairs touch the house in a dozen places. Norway rats come in at ground level and mice travel the walls between units. If you rent, tell the owner in writing. See apartment building rodents.

• Foundation vents with rusted or missing screen
• Old pipe holes in the basement or garage wall
• Back stairs and decks against the house

Restaurants and Shops

Food businesses on Mission, Valencia and 24th deal with rats around back doors, dumpsters and shared basements. A commercial program with regular visits and a service log is the usual setup. Garbage containers should be pest-proof with tight lids, which the health department's guidance ties to Health Code Article 6.

Around Mission District: Mission Dolores · Dolores Park · Valencia Street · Mission Street · 24th Street

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