Franchise Administration
Risk Management
Utility Regulation
Operations
Regulatory Permitting
Parking
311
BARC
The Administration & Regulatory Affairs Department (ARA) provides a wide variety of administrative services to the City of Houston’s departments, such as 311 service request routing, payroll processing, asset disposition, citywide policy management, internal mail services, records management, and insurance risk management.
Our Mission is to efficiently deliver superior administration and regulatory affairs services to our customers through the efforts of a highly dedicated and professional staff committed to world class customer service and excellence in everything we do.
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About the Director
As the first Hispanic director of the Administration and Regulatory Affairs (ARA) Department, Paez was unanimously confirmed by the city council in May of 2013. She has dedicated nearly 30 years as an employee for the City of Houston including 10 years as director of ARA, preceded by 10 years as deputy director. Before joining the City, she worked for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
As director of ARA, Paez is responsible for oversight of 18 functional units representing a diverse cross section of City services including the BARC Animal Shelter, 3-1-1 Information Services, ParkHouston, Regulatory Permitting, Utility Regulation ... Read more About the Director ...
Tina Paez, Director
Contact ARA
Administration & Regulatory Affairs
611 Walker, 13th Floor
Houston, TX 77002
Phone: 832.393.8501
E-Mail: aracontactus@houstontx.gov
Records Requests: araopenrecordsrequest@
houstontx.gov
ARA In the News
- View the ARA Press Releases
Houston's top-paid employees of 2025: Search our database
February 12, 2026 -- Nearly a decade’s worth of back pay owed to Houston firefighters took a hit on the city’s payroll in 2025, accounting for nearly a quarter of overall salary expenses. ... Read More ...
13 Investigates finds $28M in Houston parking citations are unpaid
February 3, 2026 -- Cathrine Douville said it can be a struggle to find a good parking spot in downtown Houston. "Depending on the day, there's a lot of parking garages and parking lots that you can pay a good penny for, but I do find it to be an issue at times (to find a metered spot)," Douville said. ... Read More ...
Stray dogs are attacking pets and chasing people in one southeast Houston community, say residents
January 19, 2026 -- Southeast Houston residents say stray dogs are terrorizing their neighborhood. The city says BARC is stepping up enforcement after new attacks. ... Read More ...
ARA Dispels Myth That It Is the Island of Misfit Toys
What’s in a name? If you ask the executive staff of the City of Houston’s Administration and Regulatory Department, chances are you won’t quite get a straight answer. ... ARA Director Tina Paez, however, sums up their function simply: “We like to call ourselves the city incubator,” she said. ...
Monroe ensures Houston’s hired rides are road-ready and clean
As a former Uber driver, Patrick Monroe takes particular pride in making sure all vehicles for hire in the city look and ride at their very best and ensuring their drivers meet the safety standards of those vehicles.
The City's Garage Sale
People will buy just about anything. Just ask Scott Erdo. As the administrative manager for the Administration and Regulatory Affairs Asset Disposition, he has overseen the sale of everything that comes through his warehouse — from Cessna airplanes to stuffed coyotes.
I found a stray animal—What do I do? BARC weighs in
Houston’s stray animal crisis continues to escalate as BARC, the city’s animal shelter and adoption facility, projects taking in more than 22,000 stray animals this year. The city now ranks second nationwide for dog attacks on postal workers, highlighting growing concerns about public safety and animal control challenges in the nation’s fourth-largest city.
3-1-1: The purpose, process, and progress of Houston’s first source for city services
... This division is the most frequently utilized, but also the most misunderstood. The 3-1-1 telephone number provides a central hub for local residents to access a variety of city services, ask questions or lodge complaints.
Calling Agent 311
Jesus Delgadillo worked for Harris County calling residents to collect outstanding fees and described the job as straight business. It’s definitely different than what he does now with the City of Houston as a 311 operator. But it’s the other angle of his current job that makes the work experience more enjoyable: ...