County recording office
Harris County Clerk
Dusting off the minutes
Texas Property Code governs your HOA
Most Texas POAs follow Property Code Chapter 209 (open records, fines after notice, foreclosure with a 180-day redemption) and Chapter 202 (solar and flag rights). City zoning and STR rules sit on top.
Houston anchors Harris County on the Gulf Coastal Plain, historically known for limited citywide zoning but extraordinarily dense private deed-restriction and HOA governance across its footprint. Two 2025–2026 changes are reshaping compliance conversations here: the city's first-ever STR registration requirement, and a shift away from the old fixed-rotation heavy-trash schedule toward a call-in system — both departures from how Houston operated for decades.
County recording office
Harris County Clerk
Expansive clay soils in Texas metros require consistent moisture management to reduce slab movement claims.
Board checklist
Municipal trash schedules, curb placement, and code enforcement pathways.
Houston's Solid Waste Management Department is transitioning away from its traditional fixed monthly heavy-trash rotation toward an on-demand model: starting in March 2026, residents call 311 (713-837-0311) to request heavy trash pickup and receive a scheduled date within about five working days, capped at four requests per address per year, replacing the prior every-other-month system that allowed up to six curbside collections annually. Regular weekly garbage and recycling continue on the address-assigned schedule found through the city's service lookup tool.
Mediation, courts, and state resources when board actions are challenged.
Houston City Council approved a registration-based STR framework in April 2025, codified as Article XXIII of Code of Ordinances Chapter 28. Registration opened online on October 1, 2025 (delayed from an original August 1 date), with an annual $275 fee per property, and enforcement of the requirement begins January 1, 2026. Operating, renting, or advertising a short-term rental without a valid certificate of registration is punishable by a fine of $100 to $500 for each day the violation continues, and the city can require Airbnb, Vrbo, and similar platforms to remove non-compliant listings within 10 days of notification.
Late fee estimator
Enter your typical monthly assessment to see how local caps may apply. KindHOA can automate notices and fee schedules once your board defines the rules.
Estimated legal ceiling
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Many associations cannot assess late fees until accounts are at least 30 days past due and proper notice has been sent. You entered 15 days past due.
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A volunteer board guide for Houston: understand where municipal code ends, where your HOA covenants begin, and how to comply with Texas Property Code Chapter 209.
The quick answer
Houston's new STR ordinance under Code of Ordinances Chapter 28, Article XXIII took registration live in fall 2025, with enforcement — and fines of $100 to $500 per day — starting January 1, 2026. The city is also replacing its fixed heavy-trash schedule with an on-demand 311 request system, capped at four pickups a year.
Late fees (Texas): Must be 'reasonable' per dedicatory instruments. Confirm against your declaration and current statute.
Reviewed by the KindHOA Editorial Team · Last reviewed July 25, 2026
Local rules board members use
City-specific answers for Houston — sourced to municipal code and official city pages. Educational, not legal advice.
Houston City Council approved a registration-based STR framework in April 2025, codified as Article XXIII of Code of Ordinances Chapter 28. Registration opened online on October 1, 2025 (delayed from an original August 1 date), with an annual $275 fee per property, and enforcement of the requirement begins January 1, 2026. Operating, renting, or advertising a short-term rental without a valid certificate of registration is punishable by a fine of $100 to $500 for each day the violation continues, and the city can require Airbnb, Vrbo, and similar platforms to remove non-compliant listings within 10 days of notification.
Primary source: Houston municipal code / city ordinances
Fence and wall standards in Houston live in the city's building and development code rather than a conventional zoning map, since Houston relies heavily on private deed restrictions for residential land-use separation. HOA committees may impose stricter design rules, but city building officials still review any fence project that requires a permit, particularly on corner lots and flood-prone parcels near bayous — confirm the applicable provision in the Code of Ordinances before installation.
Primary source: Houston municipal code / city ordinances
Houston's Solid Waste Management Department is transitioning away from its traditional fixed monthly heavy-trash rotation toward an on-demand model: starting in March 2026, residents call 311 (713-837-0311) to request heavy trash pickup and receive a scheduled date within about five working days, capped at four requests per address per year, replacing the prior every-other-month system that allowed up to six curbside collections annually. Regular weekly garbage and recycling continue on the address-assigned schedule found through the city's service lookup tool.
Primary source: Houston municipal code / city ordinances
The Houston Permitting Center issues building permits for structural, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and floodplain-affected work that crosses Texas building-code thresholds, independent of any HOA architectural approval — in a city without traditional zoning, permits and deed restrictions together define what an owner can build. The Code of Ordinances and city permit guides explain when a residential project needs full plan review, floodplain clearance, or a simple online permit; verify before construction begins.
Primary source: Houston municipal code / city ordinances
Houston's humid subtropical Gulf climate brings hurricane and tropical-storm surge risk, chronic heavy rainfall, and bayou flooding that run through both city floodplain ordinance and HOA drainage covenants. Heat and humidity drive rules on mold prevention and exterior maintenance, while post-storm tree debris and water-intrusion disputes remain recurring board topics — especially where covenants require faster roof and fence repairs than the city's own nuisance timelines.
Primary source: Houston municipal code / city ordinances
Summaries below are for board orientation. Verify requirements in the official Houston municipal code (opens in a new tab).
Houston municipal code
Houston City Council approved a registration-based STR framework in April 2025, codified as Article XXIII of Code of Ordinances Chapter 28. Registration opened online on October 1, 2025 (delayed from an original August 1 date), with an annual $275 fee per property, and enforcement of the requirement begins January 1, 2026. Operating, renting, or advertising a short-term rental without a valid certificate of registration is punishable by a fine of $100 to $500 for each day the violation continues, and the city can require Airbnb, Vrbo, and similar platforms to remove non-compliant listings within 10 days of notification.
HOA governing documents
HOAs enforce recorded use restrictions (minimum lease terms, guest limits, parking) when consistent with applicable city licensure and state law. Covenant enforcement requires notice, cure periods, and uniform application.
Zoning & building code
Fence and wall standards in Houston live in the city's building and development code rather than a conventional zoning map, since Houston relies heavily on private deed restrictions for residential land-use separation. HOA committees may impose stricter design rules, but city building officials still review any fence project that requires a permit, particularly on corner lots and flood-prone parcels near bayous — confirm the applicable provision in the Code of Ordinances before installation.
Permit thresholds
The Houston Permitting Center issues building permits for structural, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and floodplain-affected work that crosses Texas building-code thresholds, independent of any HOA architectural approval — in a city without traditional zoning, permits and deed restrictions together define what an owner can build. The Code of Ordinances and city permit guides explain when a residential project needs full plan review, floodplain clearance, or a simple online permit; verify before construction begins.
HOA architectural control
HOAs review fences and additions through architectural committees under CC&Rs. Municipal compliance alone does not satisfy HOA design or notice requirements.
State / local protections
Texas Property Code §202.010 makes void any dedicatory provision that prohibits solar energy devices, subject to statutory location, color, roofline, and approval standards. Water-conserving landscaping may be protected from unreasonable HOA bans when compliant with municipal water restrictions. Boards must use the statute’s approval standards—not blanket denials.
What HOAs may still regulate
HOAs may adopt reasonable design rules that meet statutory tests (location, color, timeline). Associations cannot impose outright bans where state law voids them.
Summer heat affects roofing, pools, and mechanical systems. Plan preventive maintenance before peak demand.
Board checklist
Texas law limits unreasonable solar restrictions. Boards should publish clear, lawful ARC standards.
Board checklist
Texas owners may pursue association remedies under Chapter 209, mediation, or Justice Court / county courts depending on amount in controversy and location in Harris County. Verify current Justice Court jurisdictional limits with the county clerk. Texas Real Estate Commission publishes consumer guidance; consult association counsel for foreclosure and lien procedures.
Fence and wall standards in Houston live in the city's building and development code rather than a conventional zoning map, since Houston relies heavily on private deed restrictions for residential land-use separation. HOA committees may impose stricter design rules, but city building officials still review any fence project that requires a permit, particularly on corner lots and flood-prone parcels near bayous — confirm the applicable provision in the Code of Ordinances before installation.
Houston's Solid Waste Management Department is transitioning away from its traditional fixed monthly heavy-trash rotation toward an on-demand model: starting in March 2026, residents call 311 (713-837-0311) to request heavy trash pickup and receive a scheduled date within about five working days, capped at four requests per address per year, replacing the prior every-other-month system that allowed up to six curbside collections annually. Regular weekly garbage and recycling continue on the address-assigned schedule found through the city's service lookup tool.
The Houston Permitting Center issues building permits for structural, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and floodplain-affected work that crosses Texas building-code thresholds, independent of any HOA architectural approval — in a city without traditional zoning, permits and deed restrictions together define what an owner can build. The Code of Ordinances and city permit guides explain when a residential project needs full plan review, floodplain clearance, or a simple online permit; verify before construction begins.
Texas Property Code §202.010 makes void any dedicatory provision that prohibits solar energy devices, subject to statutory location, color, roofline, and approval standards. Water-conserving landscaping may be protected from unreasonable HOA bans when compliant with municipal water restrictions. Boards must use the statute’s approval standards—not blanket denials.
Texas owners may pursue association remedies under Chapter 209, mediation, or Justice Court / county courts depending on amount in controversy and location in Harris County. Verify current Justice Court jurisdictional limits with the county clerk. Texas Real Estate Commission publishes consumer guidance; consult association counsel for foreclosure and lien procedures.
Sources
KindHOA is educational software for self-managed boards, not a law firm, and this guide is not legal advice. State statutes, local ordinances, and your community’s recorded CC&Rs control and change over time — confirm liens, amendments, and enforcement with association counsel and the official sources above.
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