Houston requires property owners to control rats, mice, and other vermin under Code Chapter 21 (health) and Texas Health and Safety Code Ch. 343, which classifies rodent harborage as a public health nuisance subject to abatement.
Houston Code Chapter 21 directs the Health Department to investigate and abate conditions that breed rodents, including accumulated trash, overgrown vegetation, and poorly stored food. Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 343 defines rodent infestation, weeds over 12 inches, and unsanitary refuse as public health nuisances counties and cities can abate. Houston dispatches Neighborhood Protection inspectors after 311 complaints; owners receive notice to remediate within ten days. Failure to comply lets the City contract abatement and lien the property. Restaurants must follow Ch. 20 vector control standards; multifamily landlords must hire licensed pest professionals. Personal use of rodenticides is regulated by Texas Department of Agriculture pesticide rules.
Properties with active rodent harborage receive notice; uncorrected violations within ten days result in city abatement, costs assessed as a lien, and citations of up to two thousand dollars per day in municipal court.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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