Houston Code of Ordinances § 17-1 Short title.
Sec. 17-1. - Short title.
This chapter may be cited as the Houston Fair Housing Ordinance.
(Ord. No. 06-412, § 2(Exh. A), 4-26-06)
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Houston Code of Ordinances ch. 17, art. I
in effectHouston Code of Ordinances § 17-2 Declaration of policy.
Sec. 17-2. - Declaration of policy.
(a) It is the policy of the City of Houston to promote housing opportunities for all persons. Such policy is established upon the recognition of the rights of each individual to obtain housing without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, or disability; and further that the denial of such rights through considerations based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, or disability is detrimental to the health, safety, and welfare of the inhabitants of the city and constitutes an unjust denial or deprivation of such rights which are within the power and the proper responsibility of the government to prevent.
(b) This chapter is enacted pursuant to authority explicitly granted municipalities by Section 2.08 (a) of the Texas Fair Housing Act.
(Ord. No. 06-412, § 2(Exh. A), 4-26-06)
Houston Code of Ordinances § 17-3 Purpose.
Sec. 17-3. - Purpose.
The purposes of this chapter are:
(1) To provide for fair housing practices in the city;
(2) To create a procedure for investigating and settling complaints of discriminatory housing practices and any residential real estate-related transactions; and
(3) To provide rights and remedies substantially equivalent to those granted under federal law.
(Ord. No. 06-412, § 2(Exh. A), 4-26-06)
Houston Code of Ordinances § 17-4 Office established.
Sec. 17-4. - Office established.
There is hereby established within the housing and community development department the office of fair housing. The mission of the office of fair housing shall be to monitor and evaluate fair housing opportunities in the city and to hear fair housing complaints under this chapter.
(Ord. No. 06-412, § 2(Exh. A), 4-26-06)
Houston Code of Ordinances § 17-5 General duties of the office of fair housing.
Sec. 17-5. - General duties of the office of fair housing.
The duties of the fair housing staff shall be:
(1) To study the nature and extent of discriminatory housing practices in both the private and public sectors;
(2) To evaluate and assess the city's activities in connection with the development of fair housing opportunities in the city;
(3) To recommend to the mayor and city council reasonable provisions and programs to further fair housing opportunities in the city; and
(4) To investigate, process, and hear fair housing complaints under article V of this chapter, and complaints referred by federal or state agencies that are filed under state or federal housing laws.
(Ord. No. 06-412, § 2(Exh. A), 4-26-06)
Houston Code of Ordinances § 17-6 Fair housing administrator.
Sec. 17-6. - Fair housing administrator.
(a) There is hereby created the office of fair housing administrator, who shall be in charge of the office of fair housing. The fair housing administrator, who shall be appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the city council, shall have the responsibility for implementing and enforcing this chapter 17 and may establish such rules and regulations as are determined necessary to perform the duties of that office.
(b) The fair housing administrator shall cooperate with the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the Attorney General of the United States in the enforcement of the federal Fair Housing Act, and may assist the secretary or attorney general in any way consistent with the policy of this chapter. The fair housing administrator is encouraged to cooperate with the Texas Workforce Commission, Civil Rights Division, in the enforcement of the Texas Fair Housing Act, and may assist the commission in any way consistent with the policy of this chapter.
(c) The fair housing administrator shall treat a complaint referred by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development or the Attorney General of the United States under the federal Fair Housing Act, or by the Texas Workforce Commission, Civil Rights Division, under the Texas Fair Housing Act, as a complaint filed under this chapter. No action will be taken under this chapter against a person for a discriminatory housing practice if the referred complaint was filed with the governmental entity later than one year after an alleged discriminatory housing practice occurred or terminated.
(d) The fair housing administrator may order discovery in aid of investigations under this chapter. Such discovery may be ordered to the same extent and is subject to the same limitations as would apply if the discovery were ordered in aid of a civil action in a state district court of Harris County, Texas.
(Ord. No. 06-412, § 2(Exh. A), 4-26-06)
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_CH17FAHO_ARTIGEPRFetched: 10/26/2026