Houston’s bid to publicly call out its worst apartment buildings hit a snag this week after pushback from landlords prompted the City Council to delay a vote.
Council members postponed consideration of an ordinance meant to create a public registry of high-risk rental properties based on the number of habitability complaints filed through the city’s 311 hotline, Houston Public Media first reported.
The proposal, introduced by council member Letitia Plummer, sought to build the registry by adding the five multifamily complexes with the most complaints within six months. It would also subject any properties with 10 or more complaints to heightened inspections and potential fines.
The Houston Apartment Association led the opposition, arguing that the ordinance would unfairly penalize larger complexes and lacked sufficient due process.
HAA CEO Casey Morgan criticized the speed with which the proposal was being advanced. The city attorney echoed some of those concerns, warning that the lack of an appeals process could make the program difficult to enforce.
The registry plan is a scaled-back version of a tougher proposal floated in May that would have registered every multifamily property with at least 10 habitability complaints over a year. Those include issues related to plumbing, electricity and structural safety — problems the city already inspects for buildings with three or more units.
Mayor John Whitmire acknowledged the difficulty in balancing tenant protection with a measure that’s legally sound and practical to enforce.
“The challenge is to get something that’s tough enough and that actually is enforceable,” Whitmire said.
Tenant advocacy groups have argued the plan doesn’t go far enough. They suggested a public database to help renters steer clear of unsafe buildings and force negligent landlords to make repairs.
Plummer, who’s championed the effort for four years and is preparing to leave the council to run for Harris County Judge, expressed frustration over the delay and the likelihood of further revisions that could water-down its intent.
“I think the people that are living, actually experiencing the conditions, are going to hate it,” Plummer told the outlet.
The council is expected to revisit the proposal Dec. 10.
— Eric Weilbacher
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