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Arlington’s city council voted unanimously Tuesday to give initial approval to a proposed new ordinance that would create rules for boarding homes in the city. All council members were present.The council will need to vote in order to approve the new ordinance a second time before it can go into effect. That vote is expected to take place Feb. 25. If given final approval, the new ordinance would take effect April 1.The proposed ordinance comes after a series of allegations that residents of boarding homes, also known as bed and board homes, were being abused, neglected and stolen from.The five unlicensed boarding homes saw at least 20 people die from 2022 to March 2024, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported at the time.Regla “Su” Becquer, 49, has been charged with murder in the death of one resident and one count of abandoning or endangering an individual creating imminent danger of bodily injury, according to Tarrant County court records. Becquer owned five boarding homes across Arlington, Mansfield and Grand Prairie.The new ordinance would create requirements for registering boarding homes, inspections and consent from the property owner for the house to be used as a boarding home, council members were told Tuesday afternoon at a work session.Requiring consent from the owner would ensure that the owner is aware of the home’s use, even if the property is being rented by someone else, Deputy City Manager Jennifer Wichmann said.Texas doesn’t have state regulation or requirements for boarding homes that are intended to operate as long-term care for elderly or disabled people or as a point of transition to or from long-term care. But state law does allow a city like Arlington to set its own standards and institute regulations.Wichmann said these regulations can help protect boarding home residents and prevent fraud, abuse and other criminal behavior.The proposed ordinance in Arlington includes requirements for operators to receive a permit, with exceptions for properties required by state law, including hotels, retirement communities and shelters for people experiencing domestic abuse.It would also require the owner and employees to undergo criminal background checks, according to a copy of the proposed ordinance published with the city council’s agenda.Boarding homes will also be required to undergo annual inspections for permit renewal and for fire and kitchen safety, in addition to an initial inspection to obtain a permit. Those inspection reports would have to be posted or readily available at the property.Reports would also be submitted to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission each year, according to the proposed ordinance.Requirements inside boarding homesThe proposed ordinance also lays out requirements for the way boarding homes are built and run.It includes the requirement that residents have free, private access to a phone at all times. The boarding homes would also be required to post a list of emergency numbers, including police, the city and state agencies, in a way that is accessible to people who are visually impaired or hearing impairedSleeping rooms at boarding homes under the ordinance would have to be at least 70 square feet for single-occupant rooms and an additional 60 square feet for each additional resident in that room. Beds would have to have at least 3 feet of space from each other in every direction.Boarding homes would also be required to provide at least one washer and dryer for every 10 residents, a communal or recreation room, a dining room with a table and chairs and kitchens.Homes would also have to meet standards for maintenance and health standards.Rules and standard practicesStandards for reporting injuries and unusual accidents are also laid out in the proposed ordinance, including the requirement that a resident’s guardian must be allowed to inspect reports within 48 hours of requesting them.The ordinance also prohibits the owners and employees of boarding homes from borrowing money from residents or lending them funds, witnessing a will in which the operator or an employee is named as a beneficiary, combining resident’s funds with those of the operator or other residents and becoming a legal guardian or conservator for a resident.Breaking the rules in the proposed ordinance could result in fines up to $2,000 per incident for the operator and could result in the boarding home being closed.Police alleged Becquer and others, including family members, neglected residents of the boarding homes, stole money from them, didn’t allow residents to see or talk to their families, according to the Star-Telegram.Becquer has been charged with murder in the death of one resident and abandoning or endangering an individual creating imminent danger of bodily injury as a result of the treatment of another, according to police and court records.Got a tip? Email James Hartley at jhartley@kera.org. You can follow James on X @ByJamesHartley.