Texas has no statewide source of income protection, and Harris County has not adopted a county-level rule covering its 30-plus cities. Houston has not adopted a citywide source of income ordinance either, so voucher holders across the Houston metro generally lack local protection from refusal.
Source of income discrimination — refusing applicants who pay rent with Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing, Social Security, SSI, child support, or similar lawful sources — is not a protected class under Texas state law. Harris County has not adopted a countywide source of income ordinance and is constrained from doing so by state preemption arguments. The City of Houston has not amended its Fair Housing Ordinance Chapter 17 to add source of income protection. Suburbs such as Pasadena, Baytown, Pearland, Sugar Land, and La Porte similarly lack SOI rules. Voucher holders renting anywhere in Harris County may legally be turned away. Federal HUD fair housing rules apply but do not include source of income.
In unincorporated Harris County and across the metro, refusing voucher applicants is generally lawful absent a city ordinance. Discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disability still violates federal Fair Housing Act.
Bellaire, TX
Bellaire enforces detailed quiet hours under its noise ordinance adopted in 2023. Quiet hours run Sunday through Thursday from 9:00 PM to 7:00 AM (11:00 PM t...
Bellaire, TX
Bellaire prohibits all construction activity during quiet hours regardless of noise level. Construction is permitted only during non-quiet hours: 7:00 AM to ...
Bellaire, TX
Bellaire's noise ordinance prohibits all lawn care activities, including leaf blower use, during quiet hours regardless of noise level. During non-quiet hour...
Bellaire, TX
Bellaire Code Chapter 6 (Animals and Fowl) prohibits keeping dogs that create excessive noise disturbing neighbors. Barking dog complaints are handled by Bel...
Bellaire, TX
Bellaire's noise ordinance sets specific decibel limits for amplified music: 60 dB maximum in residential zones during quiet hours and 75 dB during non-quiet...
Bellaire, TX
Bellaire regulates street parking through Chapter 30 (Traffic and Vehicles) with restrictions on specific streets, time limits, and no-parking zones. The cit...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Harris County.
See how Bellaire's source-of-income discrimination rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.