Pacific Beach packs a lot of people into a small grid. Small beach cottages from the 1920s through the 1950s sit next to duplexes, triplexes and two-story apartment buildings, and a large share of homes are rentals. Back alleys run behind most blocks, lined with garages, trash bins and the city's green organics bins. That layout gives rats a network of food and cover that runs for blocks.
Roof rats are the main rodent here. They travel along fences, power lines and the palms that line many streets, and they nest in attics and the dense vines on alley walls. House mice turn up in older cottages with gaps at the floor line and in apartment kitchens. Rentals with frequent turnover tend to have more clutter in garages and storage closets, which helps rodents settle in.
Two green edges add pressure. Rose Creek runs down the east side of the neighborhood to Mission Bay, with brush and water along its banks. Mission Bay Park borders the south and has its own long history of rat control efforts. Homes and businesses near either edge see more activity.
Garnet Avenue and Mission Boulevard are lined with bars, restaurants and takeout spots. Late-night trash, grease bins and propped-open back doors draw rats into the alleys behind them. Neighbors on those blocks often report rats running along fence tops after dark.
If you rent in PB and see droppings or hear scratching, tell your landlord or property manager in writing. Under California law, owners are generally responsible for keeping rentals free of rodents. See the tenant and landlord guide. If you own a multi-unit property, ask the provider to treat the building and its alley as one job, and keep green bin lids closed, as the city's organics guidance advises. Clutter in shared garages and storage closets gives rodents places to nest, so clearing it out helps every unit.