Harris County Attorney Abbie Kamin announced legal action against a Meyerland apartment complex during a press conference Oct. 27.<\/p>\n
The big picture<\/p>\n
The complex, The Life at Jackson Square Apartments, is the subject of a joint lawsuit between the county, the city of Houston and the State of Texas. The lawsuit alleges the complex\u2019s owners and operators have allowed it to become a \u201ccommon nuisance,\u201d with crime and disrepair creating an unsafe residence.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The lawsuit states the 39-acre complex has more than 150 buildings with more than 1,300 units. It sits along Brays Bayou in Meyerland.<\/p>\n
During the press conference, Kamin said residents have gone without running hot water during freezes. As of last week, she said the complex had more fires, \u201cadding to the far too long list of dangerous issues that this community has been dealing with.\u201d A responding firefighter was hospitalized, she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is not a single building with a few bad apartments,\u201d Kamin said. \u201cThis is an entire community that has been subjected to this, and it has been allowed by the property owners and management to fall apart.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The lawsuit alleges the complex has become a nuisance \u201cbecause of its owners\u2019 and operators\u2019 intentional neglect.\u201d<\/p>\n
The alleged neglect of the property and residents includes:\u00a0<\/p>\n
Inadequate exterior lighting\u00a0<\/p>\n
Infrequent to no security officers<\/p>\n
Most or all vehicle gates being inoperable and kept open<\/p>\n
Multiple abandoned and unsecured apartments<\/p>\n
Pedestrian gates kept unlocked<\/p>\n
Zooming in<\/p>\n
The city of Houston initially filed the lawsuit in April 2025. Despite the county joining as a plaintiff, Kamin said the legal process could take more than a year.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is taking too long, and someone is going to die if this is not handled with expediency and rigor,\u201d Kamin said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Houston previously sued based on \u201cfrequent on-premises criminal activity,\u201d according to the suit.\u00a0<\/p>\n
From May 2023 through Sept. 1, 2026, the lawsuit discloses 16 instances of the Houston Police Department responding to and documenting criminal activity at the complex. These include reports of gunshots, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, discharging firearms on the property and possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The lawsuit has been brought against:\u00a0<\/p>\n
Pecos Housing Funding Corp.<\/p>\n
PHFC Jackson Square MM, LLC<\/p>\n
5410 N. Braeswood Blvd. Houston LLC<\/p>\n
The complex\u2019s land<\/p>\n
Four businesses, including their agents, operate, control and manage the complex, the lawsuit states. The lawsuit outlines that Pecos owns the land and directly controls its subsidiary, Jackson Managing Member. Braeswood owned the land before transferring it to Pecos and currently operates the buildings, according to the lawsuit. Olive Tree Holdings also maintains the premises, the lawsuit states.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kamin said the lawsuit applies to \u201ca tangle of multiple businesses behind this property.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe effect is that owners are shirking their responsibility, and again, the people left to deal with the consequences are residents,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
One more thing<\/p>\n