After months of work, the city council on Wednesday passed an ordinance to regulate these group homes. Operators will have to register with the city, have a yearly fire inspection and conduct background check of all employees.
Houston police say some unscrupulous owners of these homes have stolen benefit checks from residents. They've also had employees with criminal records.
The homes now have 120 days to register with the city. Houston police say they hope this will cut down on abuse and crime.
These regulations will also help the department create a database of group homes in the city.
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