Texas Local Government Code - LOC GOV'T § 214.219. Minimum Habitability Standards for Multi-Family Rental Buildings in Certain Municipalities

(a) This section applies only to a municipality with a population of 1.7 million or more. This section does not affect the authority of a municipality to which this section does not apply to enact or enforce laws relating to multi-family rental buildings.

(b) In this section:

(c) A municipality shall adopt an ordinance to establish minimum habitability standards for multi-family rental buildings, including requiring maintenance of proper operating conditions.

(d) A municipality may establish other standards as necessary to reduce material risks to the physical health or safety of tenants of multi-family rental buildings.

(e) A municipality shall establish a program for the inspection of multi-family rental buildings to determine if the buildings meet the minimum required habitability standards. The program shall include inspections under the direction of:

(f) A municipality may not order the closure of a multi-family rental building due to a violation of an ordinance adopted by the municipality relating to habitability unless the municipality makes a good faith effort to locate housing with comparable rental rates in the same school district for the residents displaced by the closure.

(g) The owner of a multi-family rental building commits an offense if the owner violates an ordinance adopted under this section. An offense under this subsection is a Class C misdemeanor. Each day the violation continues constitutes a separate offense.

(h) A municipality may impose a civil penalty under Section 54.017 for a violation of this section.