A Fifth Ward mother says her rental turned into a health hazard, with months of sewage backups and raw wastewater, and that the fallout has now pushed her into an eviction fight. Sandra Butler moved into the house in April. She says the trouble started about five months ago, after a week of heavy rain, when raw sewage began bubbling up through the plumbing and standing water pooled in the bathroom. Butler says the repeated exposure left both her and her 9-year-old daughter sick and that an asthma flare-up sent her to the emergency room. In November, she stopped paying rent, hoping that would finally force repairs.
Butler told KHOU the backups involved raw sewage pushing up through toilets and drains. The station reported that Houston Public Works said it was sending an inspector to check out the property and that no citations had been issued. The standoff has now moved from the bathroom to the courtroom as Butler prepares for an eviction hearing.
The landlord, Tony Caston, rejects Butler’s account. He has said he believes the clogs are the result of grease and sanitizer being flushed into the pipes. He disputes that withholding rent was justified and, according to neighbors, says maintenance crews have been involved. The eviction case was filed after Butler stopped paying rent in November, she says.
What Tenants Are Told To Do Instead
Under Texas law, tenants generally are not allowed to withhold rent to pressure a landlord into making repairs. Legal advocates warn that skipping payments can quickly land renters in front of an eviction judge, no matter how bad the conditions are.
Eric Kwartler, legal director of the Houston Eviction Advocacy Center, told KHOU that tenants should start by sending a repair demand letter by certified mail and thoroughly documenting what is happening before they take any other steps. Advocates say following that process helps renters preserve defenses in court while also pushing landlords and the city to respond.
Neighborhood Already On Edge Over Health Risks
The Fifth Ward has been living with environmental worries for years, from contamination concerns to public-health questions that keep resurfacing. Recent rounds of soil and water testing have drawn fresh scrutiny from authorities and residents. Houston Public Media has reported on those investigations and the outreach tied to possible contamination. Advocates say that when basic infrastructure breaks down, low-income renters are often the ones who absorb both the health problems and the legal fallout.
Butler says she is hoping the city inspector’s visit will lead to a lasting fix before her court date, so she and her daughter can get back to something resembling normal life. For now, the eviction case is pending, and the family is weighing legal help while the city and the property owner sort out who is responsible for what.
