Bill would require landlords to repair mobility devices; sponsor cites months‑long elevator outages at senior housing

Senate Bill 18‑02 would add mobility assistance devices such as ramps, elevators and handrails to the statutory list of amenities landlords must diligently repair when those features were functional at lease signing. The bill also would allow tenants to petition a court to pay rent into escrow or require landlords to provide temporary alternative housing at no cost while repairs are completed.

Senator Alvarado told the committee the bill responds to incidents in his district where a senior complex went without a working elevator for at least five months. "The Houston Fire Department had to carry people downstairs just to make their doctor appointments," he said, adding that residents at times canceled appointments because they could not reach the street level. The author said such prolonged outages strain city emergency services and diminish seniors' quality of life.

The sponsor said he recognizes stakeholder concerns about scope and definitions and offered to work with housing industry groups, but said the bill is aimed at safety and accessibility. Several members expressed their intent to sign on and thanked the author. The committee closed public testimony and left the bill pending for further drafting and stakeholder negotiation.