Heights Historic Home and Renovation Checklist

Historic districts, design guidelines and permits

Much of the Heights sits in City of Houston historic districts, where exterior work needs approval before it starts. Check these rules before you buy a home you plan to change, and again before you plan a renovation or rebuild.

• City historic districts in the area Houston Heights West, East and South, Norhill and Woodland Heights are City of Houston historic districts. The city dates Heights West to December 2007, Heights East to February 2008 and Heights South to June 2011. City of Houston Planning & Development
• Woodland Heights designation City Council approved the Woodland Heights and Houston Heights South historic districts on June 29, 2011, each by a 9-5 vote. CultureMap Houston
• Heights district boundaries Heights West is roughly W. 11th to W. 16th between Ashland and Yale; Heights East roughly W. 11th to W. 20th between Heights Blvd and Oxford; Heights South roughly W. 4th to W. 11th between Heights Blvd and Oxford. Check the city map for an exact lot. City of Houston Planning & Development
• Certificate of Appropriateness In a historic district, exterior alterations, additions, new buildings, relocation and demolition need a Certificate of Appropriateness. Ordinary maintenance that does not change design or materials does not; work done without one can bring fines, removal and restoration. City of Houston Office of Preservation
• How to apply COA applications are filed online in the Historic Preservation Tracker and are due by noon 22 days before the monthly HAHC meeting. Staff offer free pre-application review (832-393-6556, [email protected]). City of Houston Office of Preservation
• Houston Heights design guidelines Design guidelines for the three Houston Heights districts cover additions and new construction (setbacks, lot coverage, floor area ratio, floor height) and window and siding replacement; the city said they apply to reviews from the Nov. 13, 2018 HAHC meeting. City of Houston Planning & Development
• Norhill guidelines still in draft The city is still writing Norhill design guidelines. The commission rescinded its June conditional approval on Aug. 13, public comment closed Sept. 8, 2026, and Council action is not yet scheduled. City of Houston Planning & Development
• Heights deed restrictions The original Heights deed restrictions lapsed after the 1918 annexation. Newer restrictions now cover some sections; the HHA's covenant limits lots to one single-family home with setbacks and minimum sizes, and the HHA can enforce it for owners in the covered area. Houston Heights Association
• City deed restriction enforcement Houston has no zoning, but the City Legal Department can sue to enforce certain deed restrictions (use, setbacks, lot size, number and type of structures). Its hotline is 832-393-6333. City of Houston Legal Department

Which rules apply depends on the exact address: whether it is inside a historic district, and whether deed restrictions cover the section. Confirm both for the specific lot before you buy.

History

• Omaha investors buy the land The state historical marker says representatives of the American Loan and Trust Company of Omaha scouted Houston in 1890, and directors including O. M. Carter and D. D. Cooley bought 1,756 acres northwest of the city. Texas Historical Commission (marker 10695)
• Platted in 1891 The Houston Heights Association dates the neighborhood to 1891, when it was platted by Oscar Martin Carter and the Omaha and South Texas Land Company on high ground above the city. The marker says the name came from that elevation. Houston Heights Association
• Incorporated as a city in 1896 Houston Heights incorporated as its own city in 1896, with W. G. Love as its first mayor, per the state marker. Texas Historical Commission (marker 10695)
• Annexed by Houston in 1918 The state marker and the city's historic district history both give 1918 as the year Houston Heights joined the City of Houston; the marker says voters agreed to annexation to broaden the tax base for schools. (The HHA history page says 1919.) Texas Historical Commission (marker 10695)
• Heights Boulevard The HHA says Heights Boulevard was modeled on Boston's Commonwealth Avenue with a 60-foot esplanade, and that founding families built large Victorian homes along it. Houston Heights Association
• National Register listing Houston Heights was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a Multiple Resource Area in 1983. This federal listing is separate from the city's local historic districts. City of Houston Planning & Development
• The 1912 dry ordinance The city's historic district history says City Attorney James G. Donovan drafted a 1912 ordinance banning alcohol sales in Houston Heights and that the area remains dry. City of Houston Planning & Development
• 2016 vote on off-premise sales In November 2016 voters approved, 64% to 36%, a measure allowing alcohol sales for off-premise consumption (such as beer and wine at stores) in the old dry area, roughly White Oak Bayou to I-610 between Durham and Oxford. Other dry-area limits were not changed by that vote. CultureMap Houston
• Woodland Heights, 1907 The Woodland Heights Civic Association says William Wilson Realty Company platted Woodland Heights in 1907 on 106 acres as a streetcar suburb near Woodland Park; streetcars ran until buses replaced them in 1939. Woodland Heights Civic Association
• Norhill, developed by Will Hogg The city names Will Hogg as Norhill's developer, describes the district as a reminder of Houston's 1920s growth and dates its historic district designation to 2000. City of Houston Planning & Development

Homes and architecture

• Houston Heights house styles The city's district history cites Queen Anne cottages, hipped-roof bungalows, Classical Revival, Colonial Revival and Craftsman buildings dating from the 1890s to the 1920s. City of Houston Planning & Development
• Common historic features City guidance describes most historic Heights homes as one or two stories on raised pier-and-beam foundations, with deep front porches, tall wood windows and gable or hip roofs. City of Houston Planning & Development
• Norhill bungalows and Tudor cottages The city describes Norhill as mostly single-family bungalows and Tudor cottages, with some duplexes; bungalows typically have large front porches and wood siding. City of Houston Planning & Development
• Woodland Heights styles The Woodland Heights Civic Association says many homes built from 1907 to 1925 are Queen Anne, Craftsman and English cottage styles. Woodland Heights Civic Association

Researching flood risk for a specific address

No guide can tell you whether a particular house has flooded or will flood. These are the official tools and city records to research an address, and the city projects that affect drainage.

• White Oak Bayou watershed The Heights sits in the White Oak Bayou watershed. HCFCD lists it at 111 square miles with 146 miles of open streams and a 2020 population of 464,933, and lists its projects, including Little White Oak Bayou improvements with the Riggs and Yale detention basins. Harris County Flood Control District
• HCFCD flood mapping tool HCFCD's Flood Education Mapping Tool shows mapped floodways, 1% and 0.2% floodplains, watersheds, street ponding and channels by address. It shows mapped data only. Harris County Flood Control District
• MAAPnext draft maps MAAPnext is HCFCD's updated flood mapping that FEMA is using to draft new maps. The drafts cannot be used for insurance or regulatory decisions; preliminary FIRMs and an appeal period come later. Harris County Flood Control District (MAAPnext)
• FEMA Flood Map Service Center FEMA's Map Service Center is the official public source for effective flood maps; search by address, place name or coordinates. FEMA
• I-10 White Oak Bayou project TxDOT's I-10 White Oak Bayou project will raise the I-10 main lanes between Heights Blvd and I-45 to cut the risk of the freeway flooding, and rebuild the Houston Avenue bridge. TxDOT

Property taxes

A property in The Heights is taxed by several units. These are the 2025 adopted rates, per $100 of taxable value, from each official source. Check the HCAD account for the exact units on a property.

• Houston ISD 2026 rate HISD says its board adopted a 2026 total rate of $0.8421 per $100 (M&O $0.6754, debt $0.1667) on October 8, 2026. Houston ISD
• HISD homestead 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
• Historic project incentives The Office of Preservation says projects with an approved Certificate of Appropriateness get a 50% discount on building permit fees and may qualify for a city tax exemption. City of Houston Office of Preservation
• Check the HCAD account Each HCAD account lists its appraised value, exemptions and taxing units, and HCAD takes homestead exemption applications online. Buyers file their own homestead exemption after closing. Harris Central Appraisal District

City services and utilities

• City solid waste service The city's Solid Waste Management Department handles curbside garbage, yard waste, recycling and heavy trash, with a schedule lookup by address. City of Houston Solid Waste Management
• Heavy trash rules For city curbside addresses, heavy trash is collected every other month (up to six times a year). Set items out from 6 p.m. the Friday before to 7 a.m. collection day, up to 8 cubic yards. City of Houston Solid Waste Management
• Houston 311 Houston 311 takes service requests for garbage, streets, drainage, traffic and more. City of Houston
• Water and sewer The City of Houston provides water and sewer service; Houston Public Works handles accounts and start or transfer of service (713-371-1400, weekdays 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.). Houston Public Works

Parks and amenities

• Heights Boulevard esplanade trail The HHA completed a 1.5-mile walking and jogging trail on the Heights Boulevard esplanade in 1993 and maintains the esplanade with member dues and donations. Houston Heights Association
• MKT (Heights Hike and Bike) Trail The Houston Parks Board says the White Oak Bayou Greenway crosses the Heights MKT Hike and Bike Trail three times as it passes through the Heights and Woodland Heights. Houston Parks Board
• MKT Spur connector An 850-foot spur opened in December 2022 links the MKT Trail to the White Oak Bayou trail under Studemont, which the city called the last missing piece linking 17 miles of greenway trails. Houston Public Works
• Marmion Park Marmion Park, 1800 Heights Blvd at 18th St., has the Kaiser Pavilion and a gazebo; the HHA rents the pavilion. Houston Heights Association
• Donovan Park Donovan Park on Heights Boulevard is a free playground park operated by the HHA, which bought the land for Marmion and Donovan parks between 1979 and 1986. Houston Heights Association
• Milroy Park Milroy Park is a 2.15-acre city park at 1205 Yale St. Houston Parks and Recreation

Schools

• How HISD assigns schools The Heights is in Houston ISD, which zones each address to its schools. Families can check with HISD's School Zone Search tool or call Student Transfers at 713-556-6734, and should confirm assignments with the district. Houston ISD
• HISD enrollment and school choice HISD enrolls new students online and runs a separate School Choice process for specialty and magnet programs, with a School Choice Navigator to explore options. Houston ISD

School assignments and attendance boundaries can change. Confirm the assigned schools directly with the district before making a housing decision.

At a glance

• City of Houston population The Heights is 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
• Super Neighborhood 15, Greater Heights The city groups the area as Super Neighborhood 15 (Greater Heights), inside Loop 610 and bounded by I-10, I-610, I-45 and White Oak Bayou. Its civic clubs include Houston Heights, Woodland Heights, Norhill, Sunset Heights, East Sunset Heights, Montie Beach and Clark Pines. City of Houston
• Houston Heights Association The Houston Heights Association, organized in 1973, is a volunteer-run membership group funded by dues that maintains the boulevard esplanade and operates Marmion and Donovan parks. Its office is at 107 W. 12th St. (713-861-4002). Houston Heights Association

Market snapshot

Values exactly as HAR.com shows them (2025 data), checked Oct. 21, 2026. A neighborhood figure is not the value of any one home; request a property-specific pricing review.

Buyer’s due-diligence checklist

Tick items as you go; your ticks stay on this device. Print the checklist.

1. Check historic district status Look up whether the lot is in Heights West, East or South, Norhill or Woodland Heights, and whether the house is contributing; plan any exterior change with the Office of Preservation first (832-393-6556). City of Houston Office of Preservation
2. Read the deed restrictions Ask the title company for recorded restrictions on the lot and check the HHA's deed-restricted property list before planning a teardown, second unit or business use. Houston Heights Association
3. Check official flood maps Look up the address on FEMA's Map Service Center and HCFCD's mapping tool, review MAAPnext drafts, and ask for an elevation certificate and flood insurance history. Harris County Flood Control District
4. Review the HCAD account Confirm the taxing units, value and exemptions on HCAD, and file your own homestead exemption after closing. Harris Central Appraisal District
5. Confirm the zoned schools Use HISD's School Zone Search or call 713-556-6734 to confirm the zoned schools for the exact address. Houston ISD
6. Check permits for past work Run planned work through the Permitting Center's Project Planner and check past permits for additions, garage apartments and remodels. Houston Permitting Center
7. Check nearby road projects Near Shepherd and Durham, review the city's construction schedule (through fall 2028); near the bayou south of I-10, check TxDOT's I-10 White Oak Bayou project. City of Houston (Engage Houston)

What we could not verify

• Design guideline status for Woodland Heights (the city page could not be loaded).
• Which sections are covered by Houston Heights Association deed restrictions (confirm for the exact lot).
• Current rules for the former dry area (no official page found).