Harris County officials investigate suspected unlicensed residential care home in Cypress
Residents say unlicensed care home in neighborhood
The Harris County Sheriff's Office and Precinct 4 Constable's Office are investigating what appears to be an unlicensed residential care home in a neighborhood in Cypress. FOX 26's Randy Wallace spoke with a neighbor who has seen people going in and out of the home.
HOUSTON - A Cypress neighborhood is questioning a home at Falls at Dry Creek which sold for more than $700,000 in 2022.
The actual owner doesn't live there and the number of people who do seems to be debatable.
"This whole neighborhood knows what's going on," said Louis Caldwell, a retired Houston Police Officer.
He recalls a neighbor knocking on his door last fall.
"He said there was a lady in his garage with a butcher knife screaming obscenities," Caldwell said.
After disarming the woman, he says she told him this.
"That she had just paid $900 for rent for her room and the lady that was running the house wasn't administering her medicine correctly," Caldwell said.
The retired cop says he has documented a lot of people moving in and out of the five-bedroom house.
"They offloaded enough single beds with no box springs, no headboards to fill those bedrooms up, I'm sure," said Caldwell.
"We've seen people rotate in and out for so long, and they all seem to have different issues," said a homeowner who asked not to be identified. We will call him Bob.
"I've seen at least 25 different individuals," Bob said. "They cycle them so often at some point it's hard to keep track of how many people actually come in and out."
Residents believe the woman renting the home is operating an unlicensed group home.
They say they've seen elderly people, children, and men who appear to be dealing with drug and mental health issues.
"Those grown men in there need to be in a facility that is monitored 24/7," Caldwell said.
"People that need help are most likely not getting help," said Bob. "It's sad to watch, and it's troubling that we are not getting the help that we need."
More than 100 residents have signed a petition and there's been two emergency HOA meetings about the house.
"All the residents' safety is going to be at risk until this house is shut down," Bob said.