Harris County

Property Management in Clear Lake, TX

Clear Lake is a name, not a city. Most of it is the old Clear Lake City, annexed by Houston in 1977 and still served by its own water authority, while Nassau Bay, Webster, Taylor Lake Village and Seabrook are separate cities with separate rules. Atlas manages leasing, rent collection and repairs for owners across the area.

Annexed 1977by the City of Houston
Water authoritya separate district tax since 1963
Exploration Green200 acres of former golf course now holding stormwater

Get a Clear Lake Management Quote

Two quick steps. Our property managers will contact you within 30 minutes.

Property type

Rental status

Property ZIP code

Name

Phone

The local rental market

Renting Out a Home in Clear Lake

Clear Lake City was opened by Governor John Connally on September 15, 1963, as a master planned community built by Friendswood Development Company, a partnership of Humble Oil and Del E. Webb, next to the site NASA had chosen in 1961 for its Manned Spacecraft Center. That center, now the Johnson Space Center, sits on about 1,000 acres of former ranch land, and the University of Houston-Clear Lake opened beside it in 1974.

The City of Houston annexed Clear Lake City in 1977, so most of what people mean by Clear Lake is inside Houston today: Houston permits, Houston code enforcement and Houston’s short-term rental ordinance. But the name stretches well past the annexation. Nassau Bay incorporated in 1970, Webster in 1958 and Taylor Lake Village in 1961, and a small eastern part of the original Clear Lake City lies in Taylor Lake Village rather than Houston. Before applying any rule to a rental, confirm which city the parcel is actually in.

Two institutions older than the annexation still shape owning here. The Clear Lake City Water Authority, created by the Legislature in 1963, provides water, sewer and drainage and levies its own property tax. The Clear Lake City Community Association covers about 6,000 properties and 20,000 residents, maintains parks and pools and enforces the deed restrictions recorded for each section.

Jurisdiction: Mostly City of Houston, with Nassau Bay, Webster, Taylor Lake Village and Seabrook as separate cities
Schools: Clear Creek ISD, which spans two counties and 13 cities
Appraisal: Harris Central Appraisal District
Utilities: Clear Lake City Water Authority for water, sewer and drainage in its district
Deed restrictions: Clear Lake City Community Association and other associations, by recorded section

Neighborhoods

Clear Lake Neighborhoods

Which association, which restrictions and which drainage system apply depend on the section a house was platted in. Six neighborhoods and what sets each apart:

OakbrookWraps much of the former golf course that became Exploration Green. During Harvey in 2017, with the project about 80 percent complete, it was credited with keeping roughly 150 homes dry, mainly in Oakbrook.

Oakbrook WestHas its own recorded deed restrictions through the community association, and its Section 5 adopted a supplemental community services charge amendment effective July 1, 2026, a reminder that association costs can change by section.

Camino SouthOne of the sections with its own recorded deed restriction set administered by the Clear Lake City Community Association, so the rules that bind a Camino South rental are found in that section's documents.

University GreenAnother association section with separately recorded restrictions, close to the University of Houston-Clear Lake campus that opened in 1974.

MeadowgreenAlso governed by its own recorded restrictions under the community association, which maintains parks, medians and pools across its boundaries.

Bay GlenBuilt in the mid 1980s and part of the Pineloch Community Association rather than the Clear Lake City association, so its restrictions and assessments come from a different body than its neighbors to the south.

Before you lease

What Clear Lake Owners Should Plan For

Two property taxes most buyers do not notice

A Clear Lake City rental inside Houston pays the city’s rate plus Clear Creek ISD, Harris County and its other units, and then the Clear Lake City Water Authority on top. For 2025 the authority’s rate is 0.25 dollars per 100 dollars of value, made up of 0.20 for debt service and 0.05 for maintenance. Its exemptions are aimed at homesteads, seniors and disabled owners, which an investment property will not usually qualify for.

The authority has also announced a water and sewer rate increase effective October 1, 2026, which matters if your lease leaves utilities with the owner. Taylor Lake Village, whose old water district paid off its debt in 2015, now uses the authority’s rate as well. Underwrite from the actual tax statement for the parcel, not from a Houston average.

Deed restrictions are recorded by section

There is no zoning in Houston, and in Clear Lake the deed restrictions do the work instead. The Clear Lake City Community Association enforces restrictions for its area, roughly bounded by Highway 3, Space Center Boulevard, Pineloch and NASA Parkway, and it keeps separate recorded sets for Camino South, Meadowgreen, Oakbrook, Oakbrook West and University Green. Other subdivisions belong to other associations, including Pineloch for Bay Glen and Bay Knoll.

For an owner that means two practical steps before buying or changing how a property is used. Pull the recorded restrictions for the specific section, and check any amendments, since sections can change their charges and rules on their own schedule. Whether an association limits leasing, short stays or exterior changes is a question for that section’s documents, not for the neighborhood’s reputation.

Exploration Green changed the flood picture

The biggest drainage story here is a golf course. The Clear Lake City Water Authority bought the closed course for 6.2 million dollars in 2011 and turned its 200 acres into Exploration Green, a stormwater park at 16205 Diana Lane with five detention ponds. The project cost about 43 million dollars, the first phase was finished in March 2018 and the final phase in September 2024. The authority says it was holding water during Harvey and again during Hurricane Beryl in July 2024.

Not every part of the area shares that protection. Homes along Horsepen Bayou, in the Armand Bayou watershed, took 20 to 30 inches of water in Harvey. The Harris County Flood Control District proposed widening about three miles of Horsepen Bayou and cancelled the plan in December 2023, choosing to study local drainage instead. For a rental, the distance to Horsepen Bayou and the section’s drainage history are worth more than the address.

Close to the coast, but outside TWIA

Owners near the bay often assume windstorm coverage has to come from the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association. In Harris County, TWIA’s designated catastrophe area covers only properties inside the city limits of La Porte, Morgan’s Point, Pasadena, Seabrook and Shoreacres that are also east of Highway 146. Clear Lake City inside Houston is not on that list, and neither are Nassau Bay or Webster.

That usually means a rental here is insured for wind through the private market, and that premiums deserve a quote before an offer, not after. Seabrook is the case to watch, since part of it qualifies and part does not depending on which side of Highway 146 the property sits. Hurricane evacuation zones are also set by address, so check the county lookup for each property rather than assuming by ZIP code.

Services

Property Management Services in Clear Lake

Atlas manages rental homes across Clear Lake, from Oakbrook and Camino South to Bay Glen and the neighborhoods around the space center. We handle leasing, tenant screening, rent collection, maintenance and inspections, and we work within each section’s recorded restrictions. Atlas is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for emergencies.

Tenant Placement & Screening Rent Collection Property Maintenance Make-Ready Rental Services Lease Enforcement Eviction Services Property Inspections Rental Market Analysis

Nearby

Nearby Areas We Serve

Webster Seabrook League City Pasadena Friendswood All Harris County areas

FAQ

Clear Lake Property Management FAQ

Is Clear Lake part of Houston?

Mostly. The City of Houston annexed Clear Lake City in 1977, so most of the area is inside Houston. Nassau Bay, Webster, Taylor Lake Village and Seabrook are separate cities with their own ordinances, and a small eastern part of the original Clear Lake City is in Taylor Lake Village. Confirm the city for each property.

What is the Clear Lake City Water Authority tax?

The authority is a special district created in 1963 that provides water, sewer and drainage. It levies its own property tax, 0.25 dollars per 100 dollars of value for 2025, on top of the city, county and school district. It has also announced a water and sewer rate increase effective October 1, 2026.

Can I run a short-term rental in Clear Lake?

Inside Houston, yes, if you register. Houston’s ordinance, adopted April 16, 2025 and effective January 1, 2026, covers stays under 30 days and requires a 275 dollar annual registration, a 24 hour emergency contact, human trafficking awareness training and hotel occupancy tax. Operating unregistered can cost 100 to 500 dollars a day. Check your section’s deed restrictions too.

Do I need TWIA windstorm insurance in Clear Lake?

Usually not available. In Harris County, TWIA covers only properties in La Porte, Morgan’s Point, Pasadena, Seabrook and Shoreacres that are also east of Highway 146. Clear Lake City inside Houston, Nassau Bay and Webster are outside that area, so wind coverage generally comes from private insurers.

Which high school serves my Clear Lake rental?

It depends on the exact address. Clear Creek ISD serves the area and runs seven high schools, and attendance zones do not follow neighborhood names. Use the district’s school finder for the property before advertising a school assignment to tenants.

How much does property management cost in Clear Lake?

It depends on the home and the services you need. Our Houston property management fees guide explains typical fee structures, or you can request a quote for your property.

Ready to Rent Out Your Clear Lake Home?

Tell us about the property and we will follow up with a management quote.