Notes on the Houston City Council Meeting on August 19, 2026

Agenda

1. Mayor’s Report
2. Consent Agenda (items that require a vote, like purchases, resolutions, ordinances, etc.) ((including AC Ordinance))
3. Council Member Pop-Off

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The Mayor’s Report

Mayor Whitmire shared news of the passing of Randy Zamora, First Assistant City Attorney. He shared remembrances and offered condolences to Zamora’s family, friends, and colleagues. Mayor Whitmire also offered condolences for the loss of Georgia Provost and to City Attorney Arturo Michel on the loss of his brother. Several CMs also shared condolences.

Agenda Items, Selected Works

• Item 6 approved $634K for a fully underground telecommunications fiber service for city facilities, “enhancing security and connectivity.”
• Item 7 approved $17M through May 2028 for water meters and parts.
• Item 17 appropriated (approved funding) $43M for the purchase of vehicles, including for police and fire. Contracts forthcoming.
• Item 18 approved an additional $1M (on top of previously approved $7.4M) for the renovation of Fire Station 16 in Montrose, due to newly discovered problems that will increase construction costs.
• Item 19 approved a $19M contract for the replacement of Fire Station 104 in Kingwood.
• Item 22 awarded a $2.4M contract over three years for a company that does background checks for HR.
• Item 24 approved a tax abatement (tax break) for a new NRG power plant at their Greens Bayou power generation complex. Benefits include increased grid stability and 14 more full-time jobs for which they pledge to pay $25 per hour. CM Salinas spoke in support of this item but encouraged “a hard look” at abatement policy going forward, including requiring companies to increase their minimum wage, worker’s comp, and benefits. She encouraged council to “stand up for labor whenever we can.”
• Item 26 approved the FY2027 budget for the Sixth Ward TIRZ.
• Item 30 adjusted speed limits in six areas.
• Item 43 established a public hearing on August 26 at 9am for amendments to the Main Street/Market Square TIRZ project plan.
• These items were not voted on: Item 15 was tagged by CM Pollard, Item 27 was tagged by CM Ramirez, Item 28 was pulled by the administration.

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Item 44: Air Conditioning Is Now Required (in rental properties)

Item 44 amended a city ordinance to require all rental properties have air conditioning, spearheaded by CM Salinas. Previously, landlords could opt out of air conditioning if the property has window screens. Landlords will not be required to install central air conditioning—window or other units will suffice—and will have 120 days to comply.

• Mayor Whitmire supported the ordinance change but cautioned about increased rent as landlords pass the cost down to tenants and higher utility bills. The mayor said this change could force people into homelessness by reducing affordable housing stock because landlords will choose not to update their properties.
  • CM Salinas thanked the mayor for his support. She pointed to public support for this change and said the Health Department will guide implementation and enforcement. Salinas said, “This is ultimately the right thing to do,” and “We are going to do everything in our power to ensure that this is implemented effectively and equitably.”
• CM Davis shared “deep concerns,” saying the change will be difficult to enforce and only represents change on paper, rather than actually helping people. He called it a “bandaid on a shotgun wound.” He said evictions in Harris County are already very high and this will increase them.
• CM Carter shared her personal story of living with hardship as a child. She said that AC costs drive up electricity bills to levels people can’t pay. She called this change an “unfunded mandate with no meaningful guardrails for the tenants,” and said “it will put people on the streets.” She cautioned that even if adults choose not to use the AC, their children will turn it on when their parents are away, driving up electricity bill costs, and causing the electricity to get turned off.
• CM Flickinger said this ordinance change addresses a symptom, instead of the root cause of poverty. He shared an anecdote about apartment complexes in the same neighborhood; one has no AC and costs $800 per month, the other has AC and costs $1379 per month. He said rents and bills will increase and landlords could decide that upgrading isn’t worth it, sell their property, thus reducing affordable housing.
• CM Peck is concerned about unintended consequences and enforcement. Ultimately, though, she said, “We can’t make affordability at the expense of public health,” and, “Slumlords who are taking advantage of people, usually the most vulnerable population, need to be put on notice.”
• CM Panzarella said that Harris County high eviction rates are due to “corporate greed, corporate landlords funneling residents through the eviction pipeline.” He said this ordinance is “asking for the bare minimum for livability in this city.”
• CM Castillo said the correlation between heat and public health is direct and impacts vulnerable populations the most. He said the city’s codes and regulations are designed to keep people safe, and this ordinance change raises the bar on the minimum. He also said, “We can look to where it’s been implemented [in other cities] to see what those impacts have been. And a number of things that have been raised today did not come to fruition in other places.”
• CM Ramirez supported this ordinance change, citing public health concerns especially for elders and children. He talked about not having AC growing up, but said, “It seems hotter these days.” He cited the public support and said he hasn’t heard from anyone opposing. Normally he is inclined to let the market decide, but said this is one of those areas the market won’t solve.
• CM Pollard said, “Living here without AC should be criminal.” He criticized the lack of pushback against leadership (state and federal) that is causing inflation, rising food prices, and more. He said it is the council’s job to figure out unintended consequences and enforcement. “As leaders of the city, we just have to step in and make the decision, knowing that it may be a hit to them financially, but it’s still a decision that has to be made from a public health standpoint, from a humane standpoint.”

Item 44, which requires landlords to provide air conditioning to tenants, passed. CMs Carter and Flickinger voted no.

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Council Member Pop-Off

• CM Martinez asked the mayor for help getting a U Visa for a person who witnessed and reported a crime to HPD, but is currently in ICE custody. He bid farewell to a staff member.
• CM Alcorn advocated for Spark Parks affected by school closures. “These school closures are one thing, and then to have these community assets … to have six of them close is sad. So let’s put our heads together and see what we can do.”
• CM Salinas is giving away free portable air conditioners, applications are due by August 31, visit https://www.houstontx.gov/council/4/ac4you.html.
• CM Castillo recapped the Pride Parade and festival this past Saturday. The Technology and Innovation committee is Thursday 8/20 at 2pm.
• CM Flickinger plugged three upcoming town halls: 9/22 in Kingwood, 10/8 in Clear Lake, and 10/20 at St. Augustine Church. He plugged a How To Do Business With The City event on 9/10 from 12:3pm-3:30pm at the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership.
• CM Ramirez shared condolences for Randy Zamora and Monica Burnham.
• CM Peck thanked the health department for dealing with a sewer overflow last week.
• CM Castex-Tatum said CenterPoint will be doing grid updates in Fondren Gardens and Central Southwest; look out for the work teams and road closures.

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Who took these notes? And what resources did they use?

My name is Emily Hynds. I am a writer, small business owner, producer of the monthly storytelling series Grown-up Storytime, and lifelong Houstonian. I am not a journalist or government official. I am a local government enthusiast who believes meaningful change starts at home. These notes are presented from my point of view and with my framing and are not comprehensive. Your notes will certainly be different and I would love to read them if you attend.

I watched this City Council meeting via HTV: https://www.houstontx.gov/htv/

While compiling these notes I used the following sources:
https://houston.novusagenda.com/agendapublic
https://houwatch.com
https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/city-of-houston/2026/08/19/559831/houston-air-conditioning-ordinance-apartments/

You can find your City Council Member and their contact info at: https://www.houstontx.gov/council/whoismycm.html

Thank you to the volunteers who proofread these notes.
My Patreon is patreon.com/emilytakesnotes.

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