Houston’s plan to create a public registry identifying rental properties with frequent habitability complaints has been delayed after landlords raised concerns. The City Council postponed voting on the proposed ordinance, which would have listed the five multifamily complexes with the most complaints in a six-month period and required heightened inspections for any property with 10 or more complaints.
The Houston Apartment Association (HAA) led opposition to the measure, arguing that it could unfairly target larger apartment complexes and did not provide enough due process protections. HAA CEO Casey Morgan criticized how quickly the proposal was moving forward. The city attorney also warned that without an appeals process, enforcing the program could be difficult.
The current proposal is less strict than an earlier version from May, which would have included all multifamily properties with at least 10 habitability complaints in a year. Such complaints often involve plumbing, electrical issues, or structural safety—areas already subject to inspection for buildings with three or more units.
Mayor John Whitmire acknowledged challenges in designing a policy that protects tenants while remaining enforceable and legally sound. “The challenge is to get something that’s tough enough and that actually is enforceable,” Whitmire said.
Tenant advocacy groups argued that even this revised plan does not go far enough. They called for a public database so renters can avoid unsafe buildings and pressure landlords to address problems.
Letitia Plummer, who introduced the ordinance and has worked on it for four years before her upcoming departure from council to run for Harris County Judge, expressed frustration over delays and potential revisions: “I think the people that are living, actually experiencing the conditions, are going to hate it,” Plummer told Houston Public Media.
The City Council plans to reconsider the proposal on December 10.
