Rice Village is a City of Houston shopping district at Kirby Drive and University Boulevard, dating to 1938, beside Rice University, with 1940s-era residential streets such as Southgate to the south and east.
Keeping It Real with Michael O’Neal
Why Live in Rice Village? The Good, The Bad & The Reality
Want shops, restaurants and Rice University right next to a 1940s house on a deed-restricted street? The blocks around Rice Village make that possible. But check which city the house is in first, because a 77005 address can be Houston or West U, with different taxes and rules.
Neighborhood Reality Check
Why You’ll Love It
A shopping district you can walk into
Rice University and Hermann Park
Bus and rail toward the Medical Center
What Might Surprise You
Two cities share one ZIP code
Original 1940s houses or recent rebuilds
No zoning on the Houston side
Everyday Convenience
ER: Texas Children's Hospital - Texas Medical Center, 0.9 mi
Shopping: Rice Village, 0.0 mi
Park: Levy Park, 1.3 mi
Straight-line miles.
Michael’s Take
Around Rice Village, the first thing I check is the city line, because it changes the tax bill and the rules.
Houston First counts more than 300,000 sq ft of retail and more than 60 merchants in Rice Village, and the district's directories list 39 shops and 16 places to eat around University Blvd., Times Blvd., Amherst, Kelvin and Morningside.
Rice's 300-acre campus sits just east of the Village, with the free Twilight Epiphany Skyspace open daily, and Hermann Park, with McGovern Centennial Gardens, the Japanese Garden and McGovern Lake, is across Main Street.
METRO's Route 41 lists a Rice Village stop on Kirby, Route 27 stops along Greenbriar on its way to the Texas Medical Center, and the Red Line's Hermann Park/Rice U station runs about every 6 minutes on weekdays.
HAR's 2025 Facts count 587 single-family properties in South Gate with a median lot of 6,825 sq ft, and Southgate's four sections have their own plats and restrictions dating to 1938 through 1945. The civic club reviews new construction and remodeling plans before the city issues a permit.
The Rice Village Farmers Market runs on the first and third Sundays, and the main garage and rooftop lot off Kelvin Drive offer two hours of free parking.
Five Things You Should Know Before Moving to Rice Village
1
Two cities share one ZIP code
Rice Village and the streets east of Kirby are in Houston, but homes a few blocks west geocode to West University Place. A Houston-side home pays the City of Houston rate ($0.519190 per $100, 2025), while West U's 2026 rate is $0.22222 with no general city homestead exemption.
HAR's 2025 Facts put the median year built at 1940 in Windermere, Brantwood and Wessex and 1941 in South Gate, so many houses are original stock or recent replacements on 6,000 to 7,200 sq ft median lots.
Houston has no zoning, so what can be built next door depends on recorded deed restrictions. Southgate circulated an update in 2025 with a 50-foot height cap, a 6,000 sq ft minimum lot and a ban on renting individual rooms, and whether it passed is not posted.
Village Corner at 2400 Times Blvd. broke ground in 2026, Rice Real Estate Company is working to set up a municipal management district, and West U voted in September 2026 to study land use along its boundary next to the Village.
The city's 2027 to 2031 CIP includes $6.12 million for University Blvd. paving and drainage from Kirby to Main. HCFCD's Poor Farm Ditch carries stormwater from parts of West U, Southside Place, Houston and Bellaire to Brays Bayou, and mapped floodplain varies by address.
Buyers who want to walk to shops, restaurants and a farmers market
Buyers who want Rice University's campus and Hermann Park nearby
Buyers who like 1940s houses on deed-restricted streets
Buyers who want bus lines and the Red Line toward the Texas Medical Center
Who Might Prefer Somewhere Else?
If you want zoning and a city that runs its own police, fire and trash, look at West University Place just west of Kirby.
If you want 1920s streets with alleys and live oak boulevards, look at Southampton.
If you want a zoned city at a lower median price, look at Bellaire.
Everyday Convenience in Rice Village
Paid street parking, free garage hours Surface spaces in the Village are paid through the Parkmobile app, while the main garage gives two hours free; the parking office is 832-968-7686. Rice campus visitor parking is paid, with a $12 daily maximum. Rice Village directionsMoody Center for the Arts
Errands inside the Village The directory includes West Elm, CB2, Warby Parker and Lululemon, and a Kelsey-Seybold Clinic is at 2414 University Blvd., Suite 200. Rice Village shops
Houston's short-term rental registration Houston's short-term rental ordinance took effect Jan. 1, 2026: homes rented for fewer than 30 consecutive days need an annual city registration ($275), and deed restrictions may be stricter. City of Houston STR ordinance
Main routes: Kirby Drive, University Boulevard, Rice Boulevard and Greenbriar Drive, framed by US 59 (Southwest Freeway), Main Street and North Braeswood. City of Houston Super Neighborhood 28
Distances are straight-line from the approximate center of Rice Village, not driving distance or time; your street and route change the real trip. Each place links to its official site; a list is not a recommendation.
Median closed sale price, recent closed sales, price per square foot, days on market and inventory for Rice Village come from the MLS, and HAR’s public pages do not publish them by neighborhood, so we do not show them here. Ask for a current MLS report for the streets you are considering. Full sources are on the Rice Village Fact Sheet.
Michael’s Take Broker opinion, based on the sourced facts above
My take: Around Rice Village, the first thing I check is the city line, because it changes the tax bill and the rules. Then read the restrictions for the specific Southgate section or subdivision and look at what is planned on the commercial blocks nearest the house. If you want zoning on your side of the street, look a few blocks west in West U.
Choose West University Place and you gain: Zoning, its own police, fire, water and trash, and a 2026 city rate of $0.22222 per $100, just west of the Village.
You give up: Price: HAR's 2025 West U median market value is $2,108,596 against $1,058,910 in South Gate, and West U lists no general city homestead exemption.
Choose Bellaire and you gain: A zoned city with its own police, fire and water, groceries inside the city and a HAR 2025 median market value of $1,029,086.
You give up: Rice Village and Rice University next door, and Bellaire requires a permit for nearly any work and bans short-term rentals in residential districts.
Questions buyers ask about Rice Village
Is Rice Village a good place to live?
The streets around Rice Village suit buyers who want shops, restaurants, Rice University and Hermann Park nearby, with bus and rail toward the Medical Center and 1940s houses on deed-restricted streets. Confirm whether the home is in Houston or West U, read the deed restrictions for that section and check plans for the commercial blocks nearby.
What are the downsides of living near Rice Village?
A 77005 address can sit in either city, with different taxes and rules. On the Houston side there is no zoning, the commercial edge is redeveloping, many houses are 1940s originals or teardowns, and University Blvd. is slated for a paving and drainage rebuild.
The key facts on one sheet. Every figure links to its source, and each card shows the date it was last checked (sheet updated Oct 28, 2026).
Check the address. Property taxes, flood zone, HOA dues and school assignments are set for each address and can differ between homes in the same neighborhood. Before relying on anything on this sheet, look the address up in the official tools linked here.
Homes
HAR neighborhood
Single-family homes
Median size
Median year built
Median market value
South Gate
587
—
1941
$1,058,910
Windermere (Harris)
187
—
1940
$956,597
Brantwood
126
—
1940
$1,068,827
Wessex
103
—
1940
$1,132,324
2 more HAR neighborhoods are in the market section of this page.
HAR.com 2025 neighborhood facts (market value is the appraisal district’s figure, not a sale price). A neighborhood median is not the value of any one home. Full market snapshot.
Official rates we could confirm, per $100 of taxable value. A tax bill also depends on which units cover the address, its appraised value and its exemptions. All tax details on this page.
Associations and deed restrictions differ by subdivision here. Ask the seller for the resale certificate and the recorded restrictions for the specific address.
School assignments and attendance boundaries can change. Confirm the assigned schools directly with the district before making a housing decision. School notes on this page.
Flood zones are mapped parcel by parcel, and no guide can tell you whether a particular house has flooded or will flood. Ask the seller for the flood disclosure and any elevation certificate. Flood notes on this page.
Straight-line distance from the approximate center of Rice Village, not driving distance or time. Each name links to its official site. A list is not a recommendation or a ranking.
Every Houston neighborhood has important details that buyers should understand before purchasing. Here are three key things to investigate before making an offer in Rice Village.
01
Houston or West U: the city line changes the tax bill
A Houston-side home here is taxed by the City of Houston ($0.519190 per $100 in its 2025 rate notice), Houston ISD ($0.8421, adopted 2026), Harris County ($0.41750, 2026), Flood Control ($0.05266, 2026), the Hospital District ($0.19528, 2026), the Port ($0.00603, 2026) and the Department of Education ($0.0048, 2025); confirm whether Houston Community College ($0.098802, 2026) applies. Houston's homestead exemption is 20% of appraised value and HISD's is $140,000 plus 20%. A home just west of Kirby in West University Place pays that city's rate instead ($0.22222 for 2026) and gets no general city homestead exemption. Either way, the seller's bill reflects the seller's value and exemptions, not yours.
Check the taxing units on the HCAD account; a 'Houston, TX 77005' mailing address can be in West U.
File your own homestead exemption with HCAD after closing.
Before you make an offer: Pull the HCAD account to confirm the city and taxing units, then estimate taxes at your purchase price before you set a budget.
Deed restrictions, plan review and a changing commercial edge
Without zoning, the Houston-side streets rely on recorded deed restrictions. Southgate has four sections with their own plats and restrictions (1938, 1941, 1945 and the Annex); its civic club must approve new construction and remodeling plans before the city issues a permit, and in 2025 it circulated an update with a 50-foot height cap, a 6,000 sq ft minimum lot and a ban on renting individual rooms. Next door, Village Corner is under construction at 2400 Times Blvd. and the district is pursuing a management district.
Southgate dues: $95 a year per address (civic club).
Houston's short-term rental registration ($275 a year) started Jan. 1, 2026; restrictions may be stricter.
The City Legal Department enforces some deed restrictions: 832-393-6333.
Before you make an offer: Get the recorded restrictions for the lot's exact section, ask the civic club whether the 2025 update was recorded, and plan for its review before any rebuild.
HCFCD's Poor Farm Ditch carries stormwater from parts of West U, Southside Place, Houston and Bellaire to Brays Bayou, and HCFCD lists Project Brays as a $480 million partnership with the Army Corps. Tropical Storm Allison (June 2001) damaged 73,000 residences across Harris County, though HCFCD gives no neighborhood breakdown. The city plans a University Blvd. paving and drainage rebuild. Mapped floodplain and street ponding vary by address, so the home's own history matters.
Building in a mapped floodplain inside Houston needs a city floodplain development permit.
MAAPnext draft maps cannot be used for insurance decisions yet.
Price flood insurance even outside mapped high-risk zones.
Before you make an offer: Check the address on FEMA and HCFCD maps, ask for the elevation certificate and flood claim history, and get a flood insurance quote during the option period.
Michael O’Neal and The Michael O’Neal Group can help you compare neighborhoods, evaluate property-specific considerations, and make informed real estate decisions.
Michael O’Neal | Broker | REALTOR® The Michael O’Neal Group Keller Williams Realty Northeast Call or Text: 832-797-3780
What are the pros and cons of living in Rice Village?
Buyers point to walkable shops and restaurants, Rice University and Hermann Park next door, rail and bus service, and deed-restricted streets such as Southgate. The trade-offs are a city line that splits the 77005 ZIP between Houston and West U, many 1940s homes or replacements, no zoning on the Houston side, commercial projects at the district's edges and a planned University Blvd. rebuild.
What should buyers know before buying a home in Rice Village?
Confirm on HCAD whether the home is in Houston or West University Place and estimate taxes at your own price, read the recorded deed restrictions for the exact section and ask whether Southgate's 2025 update passed, check FEMA and HCFCD flood maps and the home's flood history, and confirm zoned schools with Houston ISD.
Is Rice Village in Houston or West University Place?
The Rice Village shopping district at Kirby and University is in the City of Houston, as are the Southgate and Morningside Place streets east of Kirby. Homes a few blocks west of Kirby, such as on Georgetown and Lafayette, are in West University Place, even with a Houston mailing address. Check the HCAD taxing units for any address.
Researched by Michael O’Neal, Broker · REALTOR® (TREC #624124), and The Michael O’Neal Group from official city, county, school-district, flood-control and HAR.com sources. Every fact links to its source and was checked Oct. 25, 2026. Michael is a licensed real estate broker, not an attorney, engineer, surveyor, insurance agent or tax adviser.
At a glance
City of Houston population The Rice Village shopping district and the Morningside Place and Southgate streets around it are inside the City of Houston. The Census Bureau estimates the city's population at 2,397,315 (July 1, 2025), up from 2,304,580 in the 2020 Census. U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts
City of Houston land area The Census Bureau lists Houston's land area as 640.44 square miles (2020). U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts
Super Neighborhood 28: University Place The city places the area in Super Neighborhood 28, University Place, bounded by Kirby Drive, US 59, Main Street and North Braeswood, in City Council District C. The city lists the council as active. City of Houston
Civic groups in University Place The city lists four civic groups in the super neighborhood: the Morningside Place Civic Association, the Museum Area Municipal Association, the Southampton Civic Club and the Southampton Extension Property Owners Association. City of Houston
The Village itself is in Houston Census Bureau geocoder lookups place Rice Village addresses such as 2445 Times Blvd. and 2500 Rice Blvd. in the City of Houston, even though they share ZIP 77005 with West University Place. U.S. Census Bureau Geocoder
West of Kirby is often West U Homes a few blocks west of Kirby Drive, such as 2919 Georgetown St. and 3136 Lafayette St., geocode to West University Place, a separate city with its own taxes, zoning and services. A 77005 ZIP or a 'Houston' mailing address does not tell you which city a home is in. U.S. Census Bureau Geocoder
Streets south of the Village Residential streets east of Kirby and south of University Blvd., such as the 2300 block of Watts St. (ZIP 77030), geocode to the City of Houston. U.S. Census Bureau Geocoder
Rice University next door Rice University, at 6100 Main St. (77005), describes a 300-acre tree-lined campus east of the Village. Rice University
History and development
Shopping here since 1938 The Rice Village district dates its start to 1938 and says it grew from barber shops, delis, mom-and-pop and variety stores. Rice Village District
Size of the district today Houston First described Rice Village in August 2026 as a shopping area since 1938 with more than 300,000 square feet of retail and more than 60 merchants. Houston First Corporation
Rice Institute opened in 1912 The William M. Rice Institute was chartered in 1891 and held its opening celebration Oct. 10-12, 1912, funded by merchant William Marsh Rice's $4.6 million bequest. Rice University
Southgate's original restrictions Southgate's original deed restrictions date to 1938, with Section 2 following in 1941 and Section 3 in 1945, according to the civic club's 2025 ballot summary. Southgate Civic Club
Restrictions were extended The same summary says the original Southgate restrictions were extended to Jan. 1, 1985, then to Jan. 1, 2010, with automatic 10-year extensions after that. Southgate Civic Club
Homes and architecture
Southgate homes HAR's 2025 Facts count 587 single-family properties in South Gate (77030), with a median of 2,696 sq ft on a 6,825 sq ft lot and a median year built of 1941. HAR.com
Windermere, Brantwood and Wessex homes HAR's 2025 Facts count 187 single-family properties in Windermere, 126 in Brantwood and 103 in Wessex (all 77030), each with a median year built of 1940 and median lots of 6,000 to 7,200 sq ft. HAR.com
Newer pockets Two small subdivisions nearby have newer stock: HAR lists Bliss Court (25 single-family properties) and Carolina Place (35) with a median year built of 1998, and Carolina Place's median lot is 3,750 sq ft. HAR.com
Rice Court is on the West U side HAR's Rice Court neighborhood (347 single-family properties, median year built 1983) lies west of Kirby; sample addresses there geocode to West University Place, so treat those homes under West U's rules. HAR.com
Four Southgate sections Southgate has four sections (the original Addition, Section 2, Section 3 and the Annex), each with its own plat and restrictions. Southgate Civic Club
Values exactly as HAR.com shows them for each neighborhood (2025 data), checked Oct. 25, 2026. Neighborhood figures are not the value of any one home: request a property-specific pricing review.
Southgate values HAR's 2025 Facts list a South Gate median market value of $1,058,910, a median sold price of $464.27 per sq ft and a value range of $775K - $1.82M. HAR.com
Windermere, Brantwood and Wessex values HAR's 2025 Facts list median market values of $956,597 in Windermere, $1,068,827 in Brantwood and $1,132,324 in Wessex. HAR.com
ZIP 77005 snapshot mixes two cities HAR's ZIP 77005 page showed 91 homes for sale in October 2026, with an average home price of $1,902,415 and $503 per sq ft. That ZIP covers West University Place and Houston streets together, so use neighborhood figures for comparisons. HAR.com
Live listings in Rice Village
Every active listing from every brokerage, through our HAR.com MLS search. This search covers the Houston-side subdivisions east of Kirby on this page (Southgate, Windermere, Brantwood, Wessex, Bliss Court and Carolina Place); it leaves out West University Place homes and Village-area condos, so ask us for those.
Tax bills depend on the exact taxing units on a property. These are the official rates we could confirm, with the year; check the appraisal district account for the units on any address.
City homestead exemption The City of Houston's local homestead exemption is 20% of appraised value. A 2022 council committee document put the city's over-65/disabled exemption at $160,000 at that time; check HCAD for the current amount on a given account. City of Houston
HISD exemptions HISD lists a homestead exemption of $140,000 plus 20% of appraised value, and an extra $60,000 plus a $5,000 local option for owners 65 or older or disabled. Houston ISD
County units The Harris County Tax Office lists 2026 adopted rates of $0.41750 for Harris County, $0.05266 for Flood Control, $0.19528 for the Hospital District and $0.00603 for the Port, per $100. The Department of Education's 2025 rate was $0.0048. Harris County Tax Office
Houston Community College HCC's adopted rate is $0.098802 per $100 for both 2025 and 2026. Confirm on the HCAD account that HCC is one of the property's taxing units. Houston Community College
Check the HCAD account Each HCAD account lists its value, exemptions and taxing units, which is the quickest way to confirm whether a home is taxed by Houston or West U. Buyers file their own homestead exemption after closing. Harris County Appraisal District
Schools
Houston ISD zoning Houston-side and West U-side homes here are both in Houston ISD. Check zoned schools for an address with HISD's School Zone Search or call Student Transfers at 713-556-6734, and confirm assignments with the district. Houston ISD
School assignments and attendance boundaries can change. Confirm the assigned schools directly with the district before making a housing decision.
Flood maps and drainage research
No guide can tell you whether a particular house has flooded or will flood. These are the official tools and records to research an address, and the public projects that affect drainage.
Poor Farm Ditch HCFCD's Poor Farm Ditch, a man-made channel built more than 55 years ago, carries stormwater from parts of West University Place, Southside Place, Houston and Bellaire to Brays Bayou. Harris County Flood Control District
Brays Bayou watershed HCFCD describes the Brays Bayou watershed as about 127 fully urbanized square miles with about 121 miles of open streams, and lists Project Brays, a $480 million partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Use HCFCD's map to confirm which watershed an address drains to. Harris County Flood Control District
Tropical Storm Allison (2001) HCFCD records that Tropical Storm Allison in June 2001 damaged 73,000 residences and caused more than $5 billion in property damage across Harris County. It does not break the damage down by neighborhood. Harris County Flood Control District
HCFCD mapping tool HCFCD's Flood Education Mapping Tool shows mapped floodways, 1% and 0.2% floodplains, watersheds, channels and street ponding by address in Harris County. Harris County Flood Control District
FEMA flood maps FEMA's Map Service Center is the official source for effective flood maps; search by address. FEMA
Draft maps FEMA is drafting updated Harris County flood maps from HCFCD's MAAPnext data. The drafts cannot be used for insurance or regulatory decisions yet. Harris County Flood Control District
City floodplain permits Inside Houston, construction in the floodway or the 100- or 500-year floodplain needs a floodplain development permit from the city's Floodplain Management Office (832-394-8854). Houston Permitting Center
Hermann Park Hermann Park, at 1700 Hermann Drive across Main Street from Rice, includes McGovern Centennial Gardens, the Japanese Garden, McGovern Lake, pedal boats and the Hermann Park Railroad. Hermann Park Conservancy
Moody Center for the Arts Rice's Moody Center for the Arts lists gallery hours of Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the campus's Twilight Epiphany Skyspace is free and open daily. Campus visitor parking is paid, with a $12 daily maximum. Rice University
Small city parks nearby The city lists Braeswood Park (2345 Maroneal, 1.96 acres) in 77030 and Fleming Park (1901 Sunset Blvd., 2.50 acres) in 77005. City of Houston Parks
Farmers market The Rice Village Farmers Market runs on the first and third Sundays with local farmers, makers and produce. Rice Village District
Listed because the business’s own site, current social account or a recent news report confirms it is open. Not a review or a ranking.
District directory The district's directories list 39 shops and 16 places to eat, mostly on University Blvd., Times Blvd., Amherst St., Kelvin Dr. and Morningside Dr. (77005). Rice Village District
Navy Blue Seafood restaurant at 2445 Times Blvd. Its site lists weekday lunch, nightly dinner and weekend brunch. Navy Blue
Hudson House Restaurant at 2414 University Blvd., Suite 100, taking reservations at 713-997-4388. Hudson House
Hopdoddy Burger Bar Burger restaurant at 5510 Morningside Dr., Suite 100, open daily from 11 a.m. per its site. Hopdoddy
Black Walnut Cafe at 5510 Morningside Dr., Suite 150, open daily from 7 a.m. per its site. Black Walnut Cafe
Other places to eat The district's dining page also lists D'Amico's Italian Market Cafe, Mendocino Farms, Sixty Vines (2540 University Blvd.), Sweetgreen, Jeni's Ice Creams and Shake Shack (6205 Kirby Dr.). Rice Village District
Shops and services Retailers in the directory include West Elm (2501 University Blvd.), CB2, Warby Parker, Lululemon and Paper Source, and a Kelsey-Seybold Clinic is at 2414 University Blvd., Suite 200. Rice Village District
Parking The district says the main garage and rooftop lot, entered from Kelvin Drive, offer two hours of free parking; surface spaces are paid through the Parkmobile app. Parking office: 832-968-7686. Rice Village District
New construction and builders
Village Corner redevelopment Houston First reported that Fifth Corner broke ground in 2026 on Village Corner, a redevelopment of the retail plaza at 2400 Times Blvd. with boutique retail, restaurant space and expanded patios. Houston First Corporation
West U studies its eastern edge On Sept. 14, 2026, West U's council voted 4-1 to spend $50,000 on an Eastern Gateway Planning Assessment of land use and development limits along its boundary next to Rice Village, expected to take about 90 days. Community Impact
Southgate plan review Southgate requires civic club approval of new construction and remodeling plans before the city issues a permit. The committee reviews the plat, plans, exterior materials, setbacks and sidewalk plans within two weeks. Southgate Civic Club
We name the roads and transit options; we do not quote drive times, because they change with the hour and the exact address.
Main roads The area is framed by Kirby Drive, US 59 (Southwest Freeway), Main Street and North Braeswood; University Blvd., Rice Blvd. and Greenbriar Drive run through it. City of Houston
Route 41 Kirby/Polk METRO's Route 41 runs from Eastwood Transit Center through downtown to the Texas Medical Center, lists Rice Village as a destination (nearest stop Kirby Dr. at Rice Blvd.) and runs about every 30 minutes. METRO
Route 27 Shepherd Route 27 stops at Rice Blvd. and Greenbriar, Greenbriar and University Blvd., and Holcombe and Greenbriar on its way to the TMC Transit Center, every 20 minutes on weekdays. METRO
METRORail Red Line The Red Line's Hermann Park/Rice U station serves the Rice and Hermann Park area, and the line runs about every 6 minutes on weekdays between Northline/HCC and Fannin South. METRO
University Blvd. rebuild planned The city's adopted 2027-2031 Capital Improvement Plan includes University Blvd. Paving and Drainage (N-100006) from Kirby Drive to Main Street, with curbs, sidewalks, lighting and underground utilities, at $6,122,000 (District C). City of Houston CIP
City services, utilities and rules
City trash service On the Houston side, the Solid Waste Management Department handles curbside garbage, recycling, yard waste and heavy trash, with a schedule lookup by address. West U runs its own trash service. City of Houston
Water and sewer Houston Public Works handles water and sewer accounts on the Houston side; call 713-371-1400 to start or transfer service. Houston Public Works
No zoning on the Houston side Houston has no zoning, but the City Legal Department can enforce certain deed restrictions (use, setbacks, lot size, number and type of structures). Hotline: 832-393-6333. West U, by contrast, has a zoning ordinance. City of Houston Legal Department
Minimum lot size and building lines Houston blocks can adopt a Special Minimum Lot Size or Special Minimum Building Line under Chapter 42; the city's GIS map shows approved and pending areas by address. City of Houston Planning
Southgate Civic Club dues Southgate Civic Club dues are $95 a year per address on a calendar-year basis. The club says dues pay for deed-restriction enforcement, including legal fees, social events and upkeep the city does not cover. Southgate Civic Club
Proposed Southgate restriction update The civic club circulated updated restrictions in 2025 under Texas Property Code Chapter 216, needing signatures from owners of 66.6% of parcels. As proposed they would run to Jan. 1, 2036, cap height at four stories or 50 feet, set a 6,000 sq ft minimum lot and ban renting individual rooms. Whether they passed is not posted. Southgate Civic Club
Management district effort The Rice Village district says Rice Real Estate Company is working to set up a municipal management district to fund street, infrastructure and public-space improvements; no creation date is posted. Rice Village District
Short-term rentals Houston's short-term rental ordinance took effect Jan. 1, 2026: homes rented for fewer than 30 consecutive days need an annual city registration ($275). Deed restrictions may be stricter. City of Houston
Tell us what matters to you and we will build a shortlist of streets and current homes, or prepare a pricing review for a specific property. Your request goes to Michael’s team, and someone contacts you by the method you choose.
Adopted rates per $100 of taxable value, latest year published: City of Houston $0.519190 (2025); West U homes have a different city $0.22222 (2026); Houston ISD $0.8421 (2026). Which units apply, including any utility district, and the exemptions for an address are on its appraisal district account.
How do I check flood risk for a home in Rice Village?
Look the address up in the official tools: Poor Farm Ditch, Brays Bayou watershed, Tropical Storm Allison (2001). No neighborhood guide can tell you whether a particular house has flooded or will flood; ask the seller for the flood disclosure and any elevation certificate.
Houston's short-term rental ordinance took effect Jan. 1, 2026: homes rented for fewer than 30 consecutive days need an annual city registration ($275). Deed restrictions may be stricter.
HAR.com lists a median market value of $1,058,910 for Rice Village (South Gate 2025 Facts, based on appraisal district records). That is a neighborhood median, not the value of any one home.
What are the main roads and transit options in Rice Village?
The area is framed by Kirby Drive, US 59 (Southwest Freeway), Main Street and North Braeswood; University Blvd., Rice Blvd. and Greenbriar Drive run through it.
Ask for a neighborhood shortlist, a market analysis for a street you like, or a pricing review for your home. Your request goes to Michael’s team, and someone contacts you by the method you give.
