Stop work orders.
Houston Code of Ordinances § 40-44
in effectSec. 40-44. - Stop work orders.
(a) If the director is of the opinion that any work which is being done pursuant to or under color of any permit issued as provided for in this article is not in accordance with the terms of the permit or the plans or specifications therefor, he may direct the person to whom the permit was issued to cease all work on the project until the defaults, errors or omissions specified by him have been remedied. Any person to whom a permit has been issued for the doing of any private street work who, after the director shall have ordered the cessation of work thereupon, shall do any such work or cause or permit any such work to be done (except the remedying of the defects, defaults, or omissions complained of by the director) shall be guilty of an offense. Each day on which any such unauthorized work is performed in violation of an order to cease the work shall constitute a separate offense.
(b) When satisfied that the defaults, errors or omissions specified by him have been remedied, the director shall in writing authorize the resumption of the work. It shall not, in any prosecution for a violation of this section, be necessary that the complaint negative the issuance of such a resumption order, but the same shall be matter to be shown in defense in any such prosecution.
(Code 1968, § 41-45)
Source: City of Houston, Code of Ordinances and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/houston/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH40STSI_ARTIIPRSTWOGE_DIV1GE_S40-44STWOORFetched: 10/26/2026