Management of surplus city personal property.
Houston Code of Ordinances § 2-507
in effectSec. 2-507. - Management of surplus city personal property.
(a) The following words, terms, and phrases, when used in this section, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this subsection, except when the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
Director means the director of administration and regulatory affairs.
Surplus city personal property, means supplies, materials and equipment, excluding vehicles, that are obsolete or in excess of the city's requirements.
(b) Surplus city personal property may be sold, disposed of or destroyed in accordance with the following procedures:
(1) Items that have an estimated market value of $25.00, or less, as determined by the director, may be donated to a nonprofit corporation or governmental entity in accordance with a policy developed by the director and approved by the mayor for use in providing services benefitting the residents of the city, or may be destroyed. Such items may be donated or destroyed only if, in the reasonable opinion of the director the cost of maintaining the item in inventory and the probable cost of attempting to sell the item exceed the market value of the item.
(2) Items that are not disposed of or donated in accordance with item (1) of this subsection that have an estimated market value of $5,000.00 or less, each as determined by the director, may be sold by informal bid, auction, negotiated sale or any other lawful method that in the opinion of the director will result in the best return to the city, taking into consideration storage and sale costs. The director shall provide at least one week's notice prior to such disposition. The notice may include any of the following: Internet; public posting; municipal channel advertisement; or any other reasonable public notice as determined by the director.
(3) Items that have an estimated market value of more than $5,000.00, as determined by the director, may be sold only at a publicly advertised auction, provided that if any such item does not sell at auction, then it may be disposed of as provided in item (2) of this subsection.
(Ord. No. 08-52, § 6, 1-16-08, eff. 1-26-08)
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_CH2AD_ARTXVIDEADREAF_DIV1GE_S2-507MASUPEPRFetched: 10/26/2026