HOUSTON – A troubled West Houston apartment complex is drawing renewed scrutiny from city leaders and residents, who say living conditions at the property are unsafe and worse, that the out-of-town owners aren’t being held accountable.
The Lakeside Forest Apartments, located off Wilcrest, are facing dozens of city code violations, ranging from stagnant green pool water to sewage spills and broken infrastructure.
“This place looks uninhabitable. It’s no place I’d ever want a family member to live,” said Meegan Dunlap with the Lakeside Improvement Association Board.
During a recent visit to the property, KPRC 2’s Rilwan Balogun was asked to leave by security after requesting to speak with onsite management. Repeated attempts to reach ownership have been unsuccessful.
The property is owned by the Texas Essential Housing Public Facility Corporation, based in Boerne, Texas, more than 200 miles away. Despite its condition, the complex receives a property tax exemption in exchange for providing a portion of its units as affordable housing.
Houston Council Member Mary Nan Huffman, who represents the area, says the property is draining city resources without contributing to the tax base.
“They’re taking resources from police, fire, EMS, and these are Houston residents, right? But they’re not giving back to the property tax aspect of it,” Huffman said. “Now, because it’s such an issue, I’ve had to use my council district service funds to pay HPD overtime to go out and monitor this property because the crime has been so bad.”
HPD confirms there have been more than 140 service calls to the complex since January 4th, 2025. Huffman says she’s now using her Council District Service Funds to pay HPD officers’ overtime to patrol the area, citing a rise in crime and safety concerns.
“You walk around, and you see graffiti, broken glass, sewage on the ground,” Huffman said. “No human being should have to live like this.”
The state is supposed to audit properties like this annually. KPRC 2 has reached out to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs to find out when they last inspected the complex, and whether another visit is scheduled.
Meanwhile, a new state law signed by Governor Greg Abbott aims to prevent out-of-town corporations from receiving these types of tax exemptions unless they’re based in Texas. However, the law is not retroactive, meaning existing exemptions like the one for Lakeside Forest remain in place.
“This was all legal under the statute,” Huffman said. “But it’s taken property off our tax rolls, and now we’re left dealing with the consequences.”
Despite ongoing efforts, KPRC 2 has not received a response from the owners of Lakeside Forest Apartments.
