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Chicago Officials Weigh Legal Action Against Barre Seid Over Lincoln Park Rat Infestation
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Chicago Park District weighing legal action against Barre Seid over damages from nut distribution Officials allege workers hired by Seid scatter nuts fueling a rat infestation and park damage
5 outlets told this the same way.
Nut Feeding, Rat Backlash
Chicago officials are weighing legal action against Barre Seid, the 94-year-old industrialist behind a years-long effort to have workers scatter nuts around Lincoln Park to feed squirrels, after leftover food attracted rats and damaged park property.
A dispute has centered on Lincoln Park, where residents and workers reported finding piles of nuts near trees and rat burrows, and where vendors at the nearby Green City Market encountered rodents during setup.
The city’s Aug. 25 letter gave Seid 15 days to stop, and the feeding was described as creating a public health hazard because it drew in not only squirrels but also pigeons and rats.
Block Club Chicago quoted Caroline Novak asking a satchel-wearing worker, “What’s with all the fancy nuts?” and the worker replied, “None of your f—ing business.”
Warnings, Fines, and Escalation
Alderman Timmy Knudsen said the activity had continued for years despite efforts to stop it, and he told Axios that vendors had encountered rats while setting up for the market. Streets and Sanitation inspected the property multiple times over several years and issued multiple warnings and citations, while Seid paid all fines and tickets without contesting them.
Knudsen told WGN that “Typically, when you ticket somebody, it stops their bad behavior,” and he said the feeding increased since the city began ticketing. Block Club Chicago quoted Knudsen describing a pattern where “ticketing usually leads to better behavior,” but where a billionaire “sees a ticket as a cost of continuing their bad behavior.”
What’s at Stake Next
Chicago Park District officials told Fortune they were still weighing their options, as Knudsen pushed the Park District to sue Seid for damage to the park.
City documents warned that taxpayers could end up paying for repairs, and the documents described shells from Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, peanuts, and walnuts seen at the base of trees near rat burrows in the park.
Block Club Chicago said the feeding has caused “thousands of dollars of damage to Park District property” and disrupted Green City Market operations for multiple summers, while also making parts of the park unusable for neighbors.
The City of Chicago was considering further legal action to try to stop the distribution and seek compensation for any damages to Lincoln Park, after Knudsen’s Aug. 25 final warning letter ordered Seid to stop distributing food within 15 days.