Houston City Council to consider illegal construction dumping ordinance

Who's involved

• Alejandra Salinas · Houston City Council member who introduced the ordinance^[1]
• Tarsha Jackson · City Council member who co-signed the ordinance^[1]
• Mario Castillo · City Council member who co-signed the ordinance^[1]
• Edward Pollard · City Council member who co-signed the ordinance^[1]

The facts

1. Houston residents filed over 18,000 illegal dumping complaints to 311 in the two years to October 27, 2026.^[1]
2. Of those illegal dumping complaints, 92% came from ZIP codes where Black or Latino residents make up the majority of the population.^[1]
3. The ordinance would apply to building permits for projects with more than 1,400 square feet of new, added, or remodeled floor area, as well as commercial and demolition projects of all sizes.^[1]
4. Before construction, project managers would be required to submit a waste management plan identifying how and where construction debris will be lawfully disposed of before receiving a permit.^[1]
5. After construction, project leaders would be responsible for providing proof of lawful disposal, such as landfill receipts or weight tickets, to receive a certificate of occupancy or final inspection approval.^[1]
6. The city would provide a standardized waste management form, an educational checklist and a public directory of licensed disposal facilities and waste haulers to streamline compliance.^[1]
7. The ordinance was introduced through Proposition A.^[1]

Who said what

• Alejandra Salinas "If you want to build in Houston, you should have to prove your waste was disposed of legally. This ordinance establishes that commonsense standard and gives the City stronger tools to prevent illegal dumping and hold violators accountable."^[1]