Bryan, TX Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)
Key Facts
- Enforcement body
- Building Standards Commission
- Standard
- Unfit for human habitation
- Compliance window
- 30-90 calendar days
- Civil penalty
- Up to $1,000/day per violation
Summary
Bryan orders any structure, rental or owner-occupied, that is dilapidated, substandard, or otherwise unfit for human habitation to be vacated, repaired, secured, or demolished as a public-health hazard.
Dilapidated, substandard, or otherwise unfit for human habitation, and is a hazard to the public health, safety, and welfare;
(2) Regardless of its structural condition, unoccupied by its owners, lessees, or other invitees and is unsecured from unauthorized entry to the extent that it could be entered or used by vagrants or other uninvited persons as a place of harborage or could be entered or used by children; or
(3) Boarded up, fenced, or otherwise secured in any manner if:
a. The building constitutes a danger to the public even though secured from entry; or
b. The means used to secure the building are inadequate to prevent unauthorized entry or use of the building in the manner described in subsection (2) of this section.
(Code 1988, § 5-138; Ord. No. 1000, § 1, 4-9-1996)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 31).
Full Breakdown
The city's dangerous-structures ordinance lets the Building Standards Commission declare a building unsafe if it is dilapidated, substandard, or unfit for human habitation, or lacks adequate light, ventilation, or sanitation under the adopted building, electrical, plumbing, gas, mechanical, existing building, and fire codes. Owners, mortgagees, or lienholders must vacate, secure, repair, or demolish within a commission-set schedule, generally 30 to 90 calendar days, after a public hearing.
Violations & Fines
Noncompliance draws a civil penalty up to $1,000.00 per day per violation (capped at $10.00/day if the property is the owner's homestead), plus the city may abate the condition itself and place a lien on the property for its costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this apply to rental housing in Bryan?
What can the city do if an owner ignores an order?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bryan
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