Seniors and neighbors pressed the council on safety and communication at a Houston independent-living apartment complex, citing lack of welfare checks during a seven-day power outage, restrictive lease rules and concerns about emergency access keys.

Anna Harris, a resident, told the council that after a May 16, 2024 storm she and other seniors went without management welfare checks for several days and that some residents were unable to leave their units because of health issues. "On day 3, I received a call from a friend on the 3rd floor of my building. Because of health issues, he was unable to leave his apartment and was reaching out for help," Harris said during public comment.

Harris and other speakers described lease provisions they called overly restrictive — including limits on in‑unit guests and pool access — and said a couple under a lease violation had been effectively isolated. "Retaliation against a senior in Texas is illegal," Harris said.

Sherry Butler, who also represents residents, described installation of Knox boxes (key boxes) and warned that ambulance crews sometimes take keys and do not return them to the box. Butler said inspectors told residents state law requires only one key in the box, which she said leaves a gap if the key is removed. "If it happened once, isn't that too many times?" she asked, describing the risk for seniors needing emergency entry.

Council response and follow-up: Council members said they have ongoing meetings with the property owner and the mayor's office to press for improved resident communication and safety fixes. Council member Greg Alcorn, Council member Amy Peck and Council member Damian Ramirez said they would follow up with property managers and that HPD's apartment task force is checking that a key is present during inspections. "We have ongoing conversations with them, so we'll get an update so that we can share with the community," Peck said. Ramirez offered to get a response from the property representative after reviewing the recorded remarks.

What was requested: Residents asked for regular written communication about repairs and safety improvements, more frequent welfare checks during outages, and assurance that EMS and fire access procedures allow timely emergency entry for seniors.

Status: Council members said they will continue to press property owners and city inspectors and asked residents to follow up with council offices if problems persist.