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HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — So far this year, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office has shut down two boarding homes that were operating illegally and without a license.
The first one was found in southwest Harris County on Bacard Lane. There, eight people were removed, two of which were bedridden and one who had to be hospitalized.
Earlier this week, a second was found in north Harris County. Six people were removed there, one of which was taken to the hospital. According to the Harris County investigator Greg Lowry, the conditions inside that second home were bad.
“The one last week had one sleeping on a mattress on the floor, one was sleeping on the couch, an elderly lady double amputee had been sitting for weeks,” Lowry said.
“Those living there were moved to safe and licensed homes,” Lowry said. “They’re working to get a warrant for the homeowner.”
The sheriff’s department wants to shut down unlicensed homes and stop bad actors from taking advantage of a person’s government assistance.
“It’s a warehouse. They treat it like a warehouse to hold these people and collect their benefits,” Lowry said.
Victims tend to be elderly or have a disability that doesn’t allow them to live alone.
It wasn’t against the law to run an unlicensed boarding home until 2021. Since then, the sheriff’s department has been working to protect those who fall victim.
In 2022, 131 illegal boarding homes were shut down. In 2023, 35 homes were closed. In 2024, 16 homes were closed, and so far this year, two have been closed.
How do people keep ending up there? Hospitals send them.
It wasn’t until 2023 that it became illegal for a hospital to discharge someone to an unlicensed home, but the sheriff’s department said it still happens all the time, and there are few repercussions.
“We’ve had houses where the whole group of people came from a county hospital, actually. That’s a big problem when we’re working so hard to get this stopped and make other hospitals and behavioral centers do the right thing. These other boarding homes that are operating illegally are going through the back door and getting these people,” Lowry said.
For the home operators, it’s no slap on the wrist. Since 2021, 10 charges have been filed in connection to the crime, such as operating an unlicensed home, forgery, sexual assault, and more. 75 citations have also been issued over the last 4 years for a total of $753,000.
The sheriff’s department said boarding homes are needed, and the county helps those acting in good faith get licensed. Licensing costs $150 and requires a background check and a home inspection. The county also offers safety classes. But it’s a serious crime for bad actors and can include serious charges.
