Quick answer
What does Places & Property cover?
Places & Property covers where people live and own property in Greater Houston: neighborhoods, cities, unincorporated communities, master-planned communities, municipal utility districts and other special districts, building permits, flooding, utilities and property tax. Each entry lists its sources and the date it was last checked.
Places and districts
Guides
- Does Houston have zoning?
Houston has no zoning; it relies on deed restrictions, Chapter 42 development rules, lot size and building line designations, and historic districts.
- How do deed restrictions work in Houston?
Deed restrictions are recorded private agreements that limit land use in Houston subdivisions, and the city's Legal Department helps enforce them.
- How do flood risk and drainage work in Fort Bend County?
How rivers, the county drainage district, levee improvement districts, FEMA maps and county permits shape flood risk in Fort Bend County.
- How do Greater Houston’s master-planned communities compare?
A side-by-side ledger of ten Greater Houston master-planned communities by county, developer, opening, acreage, city status, schools and utility districts.
- How do I find out if a Houston property is in a floodplain?
How to check a Harris County property's FEMA flood zone, what the zones mean, and what Texas sellers and landlords must disclose.
- How do I get a building permit in Houston?
The Houston Permitting Center issues building permits inside city limits through an application, plan review, payment and inspection process.
- How do I protest my property taxes in Harris County?
How to protest a Harris County appraisal: the deadline rule, HCAD filing options, iSettle, ARB hearings and appeals.
- How does choosing an electricity provider work in Houston?
How Houston-area households choose a retail electric provider, what CenterPoint does, and where choice does not apply.
- How does the homestead exemption work in Texas?
Texas homeowners apply to their county appraisal district for a residence homestead exemption that removes $140,000 of value from school district taxes.
- Is my home inside Houston city limits or the ETJ?
How Houston's city limits differ from its extraterritorial jurisdiction, who regulates each area, and how land can leave the ETJ.
- What are Houston’s main neighborhoods?
A ledger of Houston neighborhoods and food districts with super neighborhood, ZIP codes and school district.
- What are Houston’s major floods?
Houston's major floods include December 1935, Tropical Storm Allison (2001), Memorial Day 2015, Tax Day 2016 and Hurricane Harvey (2017).
- What is a MUD, and how do MUD taxes work?
How Texas municipal utility districts are created, how they pay for infrastructure, how their tax rates are built and how to find…
- What is an emergency services district (ESD) in Texas?
How Texas emergency services districts fund fire and EMS service, how they are created and governed, and how to find yours.
- Who issues building permits in unincorporated Harris County?
In unincorporated Harris County, the Office of the County Engineer issues development, floodplain and fire code permits through E-Permits.
- Who provides water and sewer service in Greater Houston?
How city utilities, MUDs, regional water authorities and subsidence districts divide water and sewer service in Greater Houston.
Map
Frequently asked questions
Does this section cover unincorporated areas?
Yes. Many Houston-area communities are unincorporated, with services from the county and special districts. Their entries say so.
Where do property tax figures come from?
From appraisal districts and the taxing units themselves. Each figure lists its source and year.
Does Century House give legal or real estate advice?
No. Entries describe public rules and records and link to the agencies that administer them.