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
SE Houston homeowners frustrated by school traffic blocking driveways, causing damage
August 18, 2025 -- Residents in a Houston neighborhood say traffic from a nearby schools has clogged their street and damaged driveways, ignoring "no parking" rules. ... Read More ...
Electric scooter companies form coalition against proposed ban in Houston’s urban core
August 11, 2025 -- E-scooter rental companies say millions of dollars in investments and hundreds of jobs are at risk. Houston’s regulatory department says the city needs “a clean start.” ... Read More ...
Houston’s Short-Term Rental Registration Delayed Until October
August 7, 2025 -- Houstonians who had hoped for a swift and seamless process to eliminate rental party houses from their neighborhoods will have to wait a little longer, and even though an ordinance regulating short-term rentals was adopted in April, there’s no guarantee it will solve everyone’s problems. ... Read More ...
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.