After more than an hour of public testimony and an extended council debate on Nov. 5, the Houston City Council voted to refer Item 53 — a proposed ordinance to strengthen apartment inspection and enforcement — back to the administration for additional review and revisions, with a return deadline of Dec. 10, 2025.

Councilmember Plummer, who sponsored the measure, said the ordinance is designed to identify and hold accountable property owners who permit unsafe or unsanitary living conditions and to create an Apartment Standards Executive Committee (ASEC) to coordinate enforcement and remediation. Supporters, including tenant advocates and several residents who described mold, rodent infestations and other hazardous conditions, said they had waited years for meaningful enforcement. One witness described losing access to her voice because of mold exposure.

Representatives of the Houston Apartment Association said they support the ordinance's goals but not the bill in its current form and urged more time for technical review, implementation planning, and to work with the administration on enforceability and department responsibilities. City attorneys and department staff raised legal and operational concerns in the public debate, saying some elements of the draft would be difficult to enforce without clearer criteria, an appeal process, and clarified department roles.

A motion to call the question failed on a roll call. Afterwards councilmembers agreed to a referral motion with a specific return date. The referral requires the administration and stakeholders to address enforceability, appeal process design, inspector staffing and operational protocols before the council considers the ordinance again.