Humble City Council bans unauthorized shared living homes

The rise in these living arrangements has created a “significant gap in regulation,” making it difficult to ensure the facilities comply with fire and building codes, according to meeting documents.

“We've seen [congregate living situations] get as high as 13 [rented] rooms for one house, that I think was actually less than 2,000 square feet, at most,” Stuebe said “So it's creating a life-safety issue.”

Diving deeper

According to the meeting documents, the approved rules:

• Apply to buildings with three or more sleeping rooms rented separately
• Apply when people living in the house “do not function as a single house unit” and may have individual leases, room locks and shared kitchens or bathrooms
• Prevent congregate living units from operating in residential neighborhoods
• Restrict more than four unrelated adults from living in one “dwelling unit,” and more than two adults living in one bedroom
• Require at least 150 square feet of “total floor area” per building occupant
• Impose a fine of $500-$2,000 per day for violations
• Require a permit from the city for congregate living units to operate

Quote of note

“We're committed to protect our neighborhoods,” Mayor Norman Funderburk said Jan. 22. “I think it sums it up pretty well with this introduction to the ordinance where it says, ‘Such housing arrangements have a potential to create nuisance conditions in residential areas, such as on- and off-street parking, among others.’”