The Houston City Council passed a new apartment inspection ordinance, which establishes a program to hold “high-risk” building owners accountable and enforces new housing standards for apartment tenants.
It was initially developed by former city council member Letitia Plummer five years ago and faced several delays. In 2025, when Plummer pushed the ordinance before the council, it faced pushback from apartment associations and other council members, who cited a lack of public engagement and said they would not vote on it.
The measure was championed by council members Martha Castex-Tatum (District K), Mayor Pro-Tem, and Tiffany D. Thomas (District F), Chair of the Housing and Affordability Committee.
“By passing this ordinance, we aren’t just reacting to bad conditions—we are setting a new standard for accountability that puts people first,” Thomas said. “We heard the community, we did the work, and now we have a tool that ensures a resident’s zip code no longer determines the quality or safety of their living conditions.”
Castex-Tatum clarified that the city’s goal is not to punish landlords, but to intervene when tenants repeatedly report unresolved health and safety issues.
“Our goal is to let them [landlords] know that these issues have been brought to the city’s attention,” she told the Defender. “If they cure these issues, then they can get off the list. If they do not, we want to let the tenants know and let the public know that they are not a cooperative operator.”
What does the ordinance do?
The ordinance replaces Houston’s previous complaint-driven approach, which largely depended on tenants filing individual complaints before inspections were triggered.
Thomas said the city has identified 25 high-risk, “problematic multifamily developments” located in low-socioeconomic-income neighborhoods across the city through 311 Houston Police Department calls for service.
“We’re tackling our worst first. We are moving at a much more coordinated pace,” she said. “Some of these bad actors. We will get an opportunity to cure those problem properties. When you look at the citations, everything from the structure, sewage backup, mold, habitability concerns, you’re talking about seniors, those with disabilities, individuals making below the poverty line, simply trying to make it.”
Thomas added that these tenants, who often fear being penalized and retaliated against, “do not have anyone advocating on their behalf.” During the public comment session, Thomas observed resistance to identifying themselves and a fear of calling HPD, due to heightened tensions over potential adverse responses from the department.
“They’re paying very cheap rent, and they’re not getting the investment in return,” she added.
What makes a building ‘high-risk’?
This ordinance establishes an enforcement framework, the High-Risk Rental Building (HRRB) program, which targets multi-family properties that have accumulated 10 or more code violations within six months.
Violations that may trigger enforcement include structural problems, sewage backups, fire and other safety failures, electrical hazards, sanitation issues, and repeated failure to correct unsafe conditions.
Once flagged, these buildings enter a mandatory inspection and compliance program administered by the city’s building official.
Once a property is designated as high-risk, owners have 15 days to register with the program and must ensure a manager is reachable 24 hours a day, seven days a week in case of an emergency.
An initial inspection must be conducted within 30 days of registration, followed by additional follow-up inspections until violations are resolved.
The ordinance also establishes the Apartment Standards Enforcement Committee (ASEC), a multi-agency advisory body that will monitor compliance across the city’s multi-family housing stock.
ASEC will draw two representatives from the police department and Houston Public Works, and one representative from the fire, health, housing, community and development, and solid waste departments; a property owner; a tenant; and an ex officio representative from the mayor’s office.
Impact on tenants and landlords
Thomas says many landlords are “forcing Houstonians to live in squalor,” underserving residents by failing to invest in their properties. In response to concerns about a rent increase, the city is “firmly encouraging landlords and operators to make sure that they don’t penalize tenants for their bad behavior.”
She assured Houstonians that the ordinance will not strangle affordability.
“They’ve been manipulating affordability to force residents to live in those conditions,” Thomas said.
Owners or managers who fail to comply face misdemeanor charges with fines ranging from $250 to $2,000 per violation, and critically, each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense.
Properties that fail to resolve all violations within an initial six-month period following a notice can be designated “repeat offenders,” triggering an extended 12-month enrollment in the program and mandatory enhanced inspections.
“Our goal is to let them [landlords] know that these issues have been brought to the city’s attention. If they cure these issues, then they can get off the list. If they do not, we want to let the tenants know and let the public know that they are not a cooperative operator.”
Martha Castex-Tatum, Mayor Pro-Tem and council member of District K
Repeat-offender status is recorded in county real property records, making the designation visible to future buyers. The city would also post the names and addresses of all high-risk buildings on its website and make that information available through the city secretary’s office.
“That’s a part of the gap,” she said. “A lot of times, tenants have no idea that the city has visited the property or that there’s a mitigation plan in place…So everyone understands the commitment we have to affordable housing and quality of life.”
The ordinance carves out due process for property owners, who may appeal a high-risk designation within 15 days of receiving notice. Appeals are heard by an impartial hearing officer who must render a decision within 30 business days.
“We can always improve upon our best,” Castex-Tatum said. “We will be gathering the data to determine what worked well and what we need to improve upon as we continue to try to work with our owners, operators, and tenants to make sure that residents in the city of Houston have safe, habitable places to live.”
