TEXAS CITY — A Texas City resident is speaking out after what she describes as two years of ongoing conflict with the city’s Code Enforcement Division, citing a lack of due process, limited communication, and property removal without warning.

Sarah Mauricio, a local teacher and mother, says the situation began in March during an effort to clean up her backyard and repair damage to her shed roof from Hurricane Beryl. After cutting back trees and gathering bulk trash—including broken toys and yard debris—Mauricio placed the items curbside for pickup, as instructed by city sanitation guidelines.

However, when brush trucks failed to arrive, she contacted public works and was informed that the fleet was down to one operational truck and delays were expected. Before pickup occurred, a Code Enforcement officer placed a violation notice in her yard. Within 30 minutes of that notice being posted, the truck arrived and collected the debris.

Mauricio says she attempted to resolve the situation by calling Code Enforcement numerous times—over 30 calls, she claims—with no response. She also reached out to the fire department, the mayor’s office, sanitation services, and Commissioner Sharp’s office, who allegedly reassured her the situation would be addressed. Despite these efforts, she later received a court summons regarding the violation, though she states she was never served, never received a certified letter, and never had the opportunity to contest the charge.

“I was ruled against and found to owe zero dollars,” Mauricio told KGTX 7. “But it was still a judgment on record, and I was never properly informed or given a fair chance to respond.”

Most recently, on a Tuesday in May, a Code Enforcement vehicle reportedly arrived at her residence while she was away. According to Mauricio, her adult son—who is autistic—was the only one home. He was awakened by her phone call after a neighbor alerted her that a crew was at the house. Mauricio alleges that when her son asked the officer what was being thrown away, she refused to show him and eventually shouted the word “trash” in his face.

Upon returning home, Mauricio says she found that approximately 50 reusable water balloons had been discarded. The balloons were used as part of sensory therapy for her children, who are both autistic. Some of the items, she says, were rare and expensive, including novelty styles used as therapy incentives.

She also claims other personal items were thrown away or moved—some of which were earmarked for restoration or had sentimental value, including a shelf installed by her late father. Mauricio says many of the items had been intentionally placed under a picnic table to prevent them from blowing around and were not trash, but rather awaiting bulk pickup.

Mauricio further alleges the officer provided no warning of the cleanup, failed to clarify what needed to be removed, and continued to cite her for infractions even when cleanups had already occurred.

“They violated my due process, disrespected my son, threw away my children’s therapy items, and never once allowed me the chance to fix it—when I absolutely would have,” she said.

City Response
KGTX 7 News reached out to both the Texas City Secretary and the city’s Public Information Officer for comment on these allegations and to clarify the city’s Code Enforcement procedures. As of publication, no response has been received.

No public contact information is listed for the Code Enforcement Division or the officer involved on the city’s website, and repeated requests for clarification have gone unanswered.

Have you experienced similar issues with Code Enforcement or city services? Contact the KGTX 7 Investigates team at tips@kgtx7news.com.

Story by Stephen Bernardoni