Senior residents at a retirement community in The Woodlands say they have been sharing their golden years with a very uninvited population: rats. They have shown video of rodents roaming common areas and skittering inside private units, along with droppings, chewed wiring and traps that are catching a few but not stopping the steady stream of sightings. Family members told a local television station they are worried about the safety of older neighbors and are pushing hard for immediate oversight.
According to FOX 26 Houston, reporter Jillian Hartmann visited the property Monday and spoke with multiple residents who shared videos and photos of rats and the damage they said the rodents have caused. The station reported that residents say short-term baiting and occasional trapping have not solved the problem and that the infestation has dragged on for weeks. On-camera interviews include family members calling on local officials to inspect the site and lean on management for a real, lasting fix.
How to alert state regulators
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) licenses assisted-living and other long-term care providers and takes consumer complaints through its Complaint and Incident Intake unit, which can trigger inspections. HHSC documents list the intake line as 1-800-458-9858 and note that the agency also accepts online submissions for alleged licensing violations and health-and-safety concerns. Families who believe residents are in immediate danger are urged to call 911 first, then follow up with a CII report so regulators are officially notified. Texas Health and Human Services provides the contact details and intake procedures.
What the law requires
Under Texas law, property owners and operators must make a “diligent effort” to repair or remedy conditions that materially affect a tenant's physical health or safety, and courts have often treated serious infestations as crossing that line. The Texas Property Code spells out tenant remedies, including repair-and-deduct options in some circumstances, and those protections can apply to private rentals while licensed assisted-living operators are separately accountable to state surveyors. Documented, dated notices to management and clear evidence such as photos and videos can strengthen residents' requests for prompt remediation; see the Texas Property Code for the statutory procedure.
Health risks and cleanup
Rodents can carry pathogens such as hantaviruses, leptospirosis and salmonella, and public-health authorities warn that inhaling dust contaminated with rodent urine or droppings is a known route of exposure. The Centers for Disease Control recommends professional extermination and careful, controlled cleanup to avoid kicking contaminated particles into the air, and it urges special precautions when dealing with areas that have rodent droppings. Older adults, particularly those with chronic health conditions, face higher risk of complications from rodent-associated illnesses and should be kept away from affected spaces until professionals have cleared and disinfected them. CDC guidance outlines the hazards and cleanup recommendations.
Help available locally
Residents and families can reach out to the Texas Long-Term Care Ombudsman program and their local Area Agency on Aging for advocacy and mediation; the state directory lists the Houston-Galveston Area Agency on Aging as covering Montgomery County. Ombudsmen can help document complaints, work with facility management and escalate issues to HHSC when necessary. Families are advised to keep dated photos and videos, send written notice to management, and file a formal complaint with HHSC's CII unit while also seeking ombudsman support through the state's Texas Long-Term Care Ombudsman directory.
The situation remains under review, and this story will be updated if state regulators or facility management provide a response.
