Rats have long been an issue for residents on Green Bay’s West side, and Thursday crews from the city went door-to-door to address the problem.

Bill Paape, the Community Investment Manager for the City of Green Bay, says the effort is an educational one.

“It’s kind of a ongoing, continuing effort to educate folks on what they can do to continue to address the problem and correct the problem,” he told Local 5.

The inspectors spent the morning and afternoon looking for signs of rats at houses in the area, and talking to residents about how to eradicate rats currently living in the area, as well as how to prevent their return.

“We’re looking for food sources that rats needs, areas of harborage, water sources, things like that,” Paape said. “A lot of the activity that we’re seeing is in detached garages where rats are burrowing in and under.”

Mary Kallies and Keith Hendzel are residents of the West side of Green Bay, and are very familiar with the favorite hangouts of the rodents.

Kallies says that if the situation does not improve, she will not be able to continue residing on the West side.

“We’re looking to get out of here because we don’t want to live with these conditions,” she said.