Houston Code Chapter 33 establishes 22 historic districts with design review by the Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission. Certificate of Appropriateness required for exterior work, demolition, and new construction.
Houston Code Chapter 33 governs the city's 22 designated historic districts including Heights, Old Sixth Ward, Glenwood, Freedmen's Town, and Houston Heights East-West-South. Exterior alterations, additions, demolitions, and new construction require a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) from the Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission (HAHC). Staff handles routine work; the full commission reviews substantial changes. Design guidelines emphasize compatible massing, materials, and setbacks. Houston is unusual nationally for blending preservation with no traditional zoning, so historic districts function as the primary land-use control in eligible neighborhoods. Owners get property-tax abatements via the city historic site tax exemption.
Work without a COA can trigger stop-work orders, civil penalties up to 500 dollars per day, and required restoration. Unauthorized demolitions may result in five-year rebuilding moratorium.
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Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission designates Protected Landmarks and Sites under Chapter 33. Protected Landmark status triggers permanent demo...
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Houston Code Chapter 33 imposes a default 90-day demolition delay on designated Landmarks and contributing historic district structures. Protected Landmark s...
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