Hiring local businesses in Pasadena

Building permits come from the city's Permit Department on the first floor of City Hall, 1149 Ellsworth (713-475-5575), or online through the EnerGov self-service portal. Before work starts, ask your contractor for the permit number and look it up in EnerGov yourself.

Call the Permit Department to ask what your job needs and whether the company you're hiring has to be on file with the city. Permits stop after 4:30 p.m. each day at the City Hall counter.

Pasadena has no zoning

The city has no zoning, though land development rules still apply inside city limits. If a buyer, builder or lender asks for proof, the city issues a standard No Zoning Letter on request through Planning@pasadenatx.gov.

Pasadena incorporated for good in 1928, after a first try in 1923 that was undone the next year. The Census Bureau's Vintage 2025 estimate puts the city at 148,539 people as of July 1, 2025.

The City of Pasadena supplies your water and runs the sewer, with about 400 miles of water mains, 7 wells, 8 ground storage tanks and 9 elevated tanks. Call the city's water services to ask about the current drought stage before you fill a pool or book a long pressure-washing job.

CenterPoint Energy maintains the wires across the Greater Houston area and owns the city's street lights. Check which company delivers power to your address; where the market is deregulated, you pick your own retail provider, and PowerToChoose lists plans.

Pasadena heavy trash days

Heavy trash is collected twice a month on a schedule tied to your garbage days. Large piles must be at the curb by 7 a.m. on the Monday of your pickup week, which matters when movers, tree crews or a cleanout leave a pile behind. Some areas have a separate hauler with its own bulk rules, so check the 2026 Heavy Trash Calendar for your street.

Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, and Harris County announces evacuation zones by ZIP code. East of Texas 146, homes fall in TDI's windstorm catastrophe area, which shapes roofing and insurance work there. TDI calls its maps informational, so check your address on TDI's windstorm map.

For flood risk, the city's Engineering Department (713-475-7835) tells owners whether a property is in the Special Flood Hazard Area and gives its FIRM zone and base flood elevation. The Flood Control District's mapping tool shows floodplains by address, but the official maps are FEMA's at msc.fema.gov.

Harris County Public Health's Mosquito and Vector Control Division (713-440-4800) treats the city between 8:30 p.m. and 5 a.m., weather permitting.

• Around the house: plumbers, AC repair, electricians, pest control and maid service.
• Outside: roofing companies, tree service and pool service.
• Moving and money: movers and realtors.
• Health and legal help: dentists, gyms and attorneys.

For the wider area, see the Houston and Gulf Coast region, or compare neighbors Pearland and Baytown.