Joint Committee Meeting on Apartment Inspection Ordinance - March 30, 2026

The Joint Committee on Housing and Affordability and Economic Development met on March 30, 2026, to discuss the proposed amendments to the Chapter 10 Apartment Inspection Ordinance. The meeting featured presentations from the City Legal Department, Houston Public Works, the Houston Health Department, and the Mayor's Administration, followed by public testimony. The committee reviewed feedback from two citywide public meetings (held February 19 and March 5, 2026) and discussed the framework for a high-risk apartment inspection program aimed at repeat offenders. The meeting was chaired by Councilmember Thomas and concluded at 3:19 p.m. The next Housing and Affordability Committee meeting is scheduled for April 18, 2026.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Pastor Camellia Joseph (Kingdom Works Ministries & Congregational Land Development, Greater Houston) urged the city to prioritize rental housing, noting that many residents in hospitality and healthcare cannot afford homeownership. She highlighted that median housing cost rose from $794 to $1,362 (2010-2026) and that a $15/hour earner spends over 50% of income on rent. She also called for partnering with faith-based organizations to develop affordable housing on church-owned land.
• Deborah Davis (Center of Excellence for Housing Community Policy Research, Texas Southern University) presented research on 311 inequity: Hispanic-majority tracts call significantly less for infrastructure and environmental issues (due to language barriers and distrust), while Black communities call more for nuisance complaints but less for infrastructure. She posed five questions: (1) Is 311 sufficient as an intake system? (2) What inspection model finds violations? (3) Will registration fund itself and improve enforcement? (4) What enforcement tools change landlord behavior? (5) Could stronger enforcement harm tenants? She offered partnership to address these issues.
• Ben McFall (Vice President of Government Affairs, Houston Apartment Association) thanked the committee for addressing manager liability but raised concerns about (a) the transfer of ownership clause (section 10-174) that could disincentivize sales, (b) the provision that a single violation within six months after remediation could extend a property's stay on the high-risk list, and (c) the need to reconcile the 12-property pilot with the citywide ordinance. He welcomed a property owner member from HAA to serve on the advisory committee.
• Julia Arduña (Texas Housers) noted a correlation between poor housing conditions and high evictions, based on an eviction snapshot. She stressed the need for tenant safety in reporting issues and improving 311 to address fear of retaliation.
• Laura Gallier (District C resident and candidate) reported universal community support for apartment inspections, even among landlords. She criticized 311 for prematurely closing cases without resolution and urged better communication when cases are transferred between departments.
• Mary Wright (unaffiliated) thanked the committee for conducting public engagement and listening to feedback.

Discussion Items

• City Legal Department (Attorney Michelle): Provided an overview of the ordinance framework: properties with 10 violations in a six-month period must register, subject to appeal. Inspections focus on life-safety issues (stairwells, lighting, etc.). Non-compliance can result in daily fines up to $2,000. The ordinance is intended to be organic and will be monitored through a committee of city departments. Attorney Michelle confirmed the city has legal authority to implement the program and that adequate channels exist for property owners to contest findings.
• Houston Public Works (Chris Shanahan, Assistant Director / Building Official): Described the existing Multifamily Habitability Program (2009 ordinance), which applies to complexes with 3+ units. Inspections occur on a 4-year cycle (programmatic) or via 311 service requests (3,300-3,600/year). The team (3 senior inspectors, 12 field inspectors, 1 assistant chief, 1 manager) completes ~1,200 programmatic inspections annually. The proposed High-Risk Apartment Inspection Program would target repeat offenders with elevated enforcement, including daily fines of $250-$2,000. Re-inspection period would be shortened from 60 to 30 days, with flexibility for major repairs requiring engineering plans.
• Discussion: Councilmember Thomas asked about correlation between 311 data and known problem properties; public works acknowledged that some properties never fix violations over the 4-year cycle, necessitating a faster track. Councilmember Alcorn asked about re-inspection timing (confirmed 30 days in new ordinance). Vice Mayor Pro Tem Peck clarified that the high-risk list is built from both 311 calls and inspector observations. Councilmember Thomas also raised the need for cross-departmental deconfliction, suggesting using HPD's CERT (Community Environmental Response Teams) to complement public works inspections. Staff from Councilmember Huffman's office asked who will chair the advisory committee (public works will have two vice chairs) and why the Houston Apartment Association is not directly represented (administration preferred practitioner-led with property owner representation).
• Houston Health Department (Roger Seely, Assistant Director): Presented the apartment compliance program: a team of 5 investigators, 1 community involvement coordinator, 2 field supervisors, and 1 manager responded to and resolved over 12,000 cases in the last three years, at an average cost of $200 per resolved case. Common complaints include water intrusion, pest infestations, lack of hot water, HVAC failures, and sewage overflows. Inspectors typically respond within 3 business days and give 7-10 days to correct violations, with shorter timelines for emergencies. Citations are directed at property owners, not managers, as a matter of policy.
• Discussion: Councilmember Thomas asked about determining compliance timelines (discretion based on severity and number of units) and ensuring citations go to owners, not managers. She noted that property managers should provide owner contact information. The health department confirmed they are working with legal on proper citation procedures. Councilmember Thomas also raised the issue of mold: while the health department does not test for mold, it addresses underlying causes (leaks, humidity). She noted that New York City cites mold as a hazardous condition if >10 sq ft visible. She emphasized the need for guidance on mold given Houston's climate.
• Mayor's Administration (Stephen David): Presented the Apartment Ordinance Feedback (AOF) document, listing 24 items from community meetings. He identified items resolved in the proposed draft (version 2) or planned for operational implementation, including tenant rights information hub (codified in section 1770-177), designated health department contact (1 FTE community involvement coordinator), language-accessible materials (using Department of Neighborhoods language access program and AI translation). Unresolved items: moving costs (to be monitored during pilot; relocation costs estimated at $30,000-$50,000 per unit); forced property sales (not authorized by state law, but high-risk list and escalating fines can encourage compliance); transfer to vetted management companies (not compelled by ordinance); pre-inspections (to be included in pilot); expansion of inspection staff (to be evaluated post-pilot); and funding mechanism ($50 per unit assessment - to be considered after pilot data). He confirmed a pilot of 12 properties (6 with Certificate of Occupancy, 6 without) over the next year, with the ability to add more. The pilot is operational, not codified, to allow flexibility.
• Discussion: Councilmember Thomas urged expanding the pilot to at least 20-25 properties to create a meaningful deterrent effect and suggested making the top 25 list public to encourage voluntary compliance. Administration agreed to consider. Councilmember Thomas also emphasized clear communication to tenants about timelines, fees, and available resources, and suggested that rent increases be prohibited for high-risk properties during remediation. She noted that the housing authority's processes for voucher holders should be clearly communicated. Councilmember Alcorn asked for differentiated timelines for structural vs. health-related repairs; the administration acknowledged that existing code already has timeframes based on life safety, and that public communication of compliance status would help manage expectations.

Key Outcomes

• The administration will provide an updated document addressing additional feedback from HAA and Texas Housers by March 31, 2026, for distribution to the committee.
• The advisory committee will be practitioner-led, with public works holding two vice-chair positions and including a property owner representative (potentially from HAA membership) and a tenant representative.
• A pilot program will launch with 12 high-risk properties (6 with CO, 6 without) for one year, with the ability to add more as compliance is achieved. The pilot will inform future staffing, budget, and ordinance amendments.
• Re-inspection period for violations will be reduced from 60 to 30 days for the high-risk program, with flexibility for good-faith efforts on major repairs (e.g., roof replacements, elevator repairs).
• New owners of properties on the high-risk list must resolve all outstanding citations within 180 days (section 10-175), with possibility of extension for complex repairs.
• The city will enhance tenant education through a website hub, multilingual materials, and coordination with housing authority to clarify voucher portability.
• The committee intends to bring the ordinance to a vote within 30 days, with the pilot operational in parallel.
• The next Housing and Affordability Committee meeting is scheduled for April 18, 2026.