Tenants at a Longwood apartment building say rats are running, fighting and scratching inside their walls.

"We can't sleep. I haven't slept for months. It's horrible," said a tenant named Maria. She sent News 12 videos of rats running through the ceiling.

"My mother has Alzheimer's, and she thinks she has a dog. She doesn't have a dog. So I'm afraid that she's going to go to the rat and want to feed it or touch it because she thinks she has a dog," says Yvette Soto, whose mom lives in the building.

Multiple residents told News 12 that a neighboring school has its garbage bins stationed alongside the apartment building at 985 E 163rd Street, contributing the ongoing problem.

The tenants say they are making their own fixes to holes in the walls and floors and that building management is not taking the problem seriously.

News 12 reached out to management and received the following statement:

“We take resident concerns seriously and are actively addressing the reported rodent issue. Our exterminator services the building on a monthly basis, and all units that have reported an issue have either been treated or are scheduled for service this week. Our top priority is to ensure a safe and comfortable living environment for our residents.”

This news comes as the Department of Sanitation announced rat sightings are decreasing in the city. Since last November when trash containerization measures went into effect for residents, 311 calls for rats have gone down every month, leading to an overall decline of more than 20%.