Your City Hall is still getting calls about rats

Chi-Town on the wire — you already know.

Okay so, I was looking through the City Hall data, and you know what keeps popping up? The same stuff that always bothers us. Top of the list for 311 requests, after all the "information only" calls, is *still* aircraft noise complaints, with almost nine thousand requests. But then right after that, like, actual problems. People are calling for graffiti removal, potholes, and, I swear to God, rodent baiting. There were over 1,100 calls for rats! Mija, how is this still a thing in 2024?

* **Aircraft Noise:** 8,986 complaints

* **Graffiti Removal:** 1,821 requests

* **Potholes:** 1,488 requests

* **Rodent Baiting:** 1,121 requests

These aren't glamorous issues, you know? It's not about some big development on the lakefront. It's about everyday life in our neighborhoods. People are calling 311 from like, every corner of the city, from Rogers Park to Roseland, just trying to get basic services. When you see these numbers, it’s not just data, it’s a neighbor on 26th Street worried about rats or a grandparent on the West Side tripping on a pothole.

What's wild too is the development permits. There was a $300,000 permit for an outdoor parking lot approved on May 14, 2026. A *parking lot*. Meanwhile, people are calling 311 about rats and potholes. It just makes you wonder where the real priorities are. We gotta keep an eye on how these basic service requests are actually getting handled, or if they’re just going into the ether.

Chi-Town on the wire — you already know.

Luz Elena Camacho, MiTL Sports Desk.

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