Who do you call in Houston area when a street light goes out?

HOUSTON – A recent fatal crash where a 91-year-old man was hit and killed by a vehicle in a poorly lit area of Alief have many asking how can one prevent such things from happening.

If you come across a broken or flickering street light in the Houston area, it’s important to know who to contact to get it fixed promptly.

RELATED: Elderly man struck, killed by vehicle in poorly lit area in Alief

Here’s what you need to know about reporting a street light outage in Houston:

1. Check who owns the light

Houston’s street lights are typically managed by either the City of Houston or CenterPoint Energy. The process to report a street light outage varies depending on who maintains the specific light.

• City-owned lights: If the light is located on city property, such as a park, government building, or within a municipal area, it’s likely managed by the City of Houston.
• CenterPoint Energy-owned lights: CenterPoint Energy maintains the majority of street lights in residential neighborhoods and along city streets in the greater Houston area.

2. Reporting to CenterPoint Energy

CenterPoint Energy offers a straightforward online tool for reporting street light issues. Here’s how you can report it:

• Visit the CenterPoint outage tracker: Go to CenterPoint Energy’s website and navigate to the “Report an Electric Outage” section. From there, you’ll find a link specifically for street lights.
• Locate the street light: You’ll need the address or intersection closest to the broken light. CenterPoint’s map-based tool will help you pinpoint the location.
• Provide details: Once located, add details such as whether the light is completely out, flickering, or stays on during daylight hours. CenterPoint typically addresses most issues within a few days to a week.

CenterPoint also offers a toll-free customer service line at 1-800-332-7143 if you prefer to report the outage over the phone.

3. Contacting the city of Houston for city-owned lights

If the street light is city-owned, you can report it through the City of Houston’s 311 Service. You can contact 311 in multiple ways:

• Call 311: Dial 311 from your phone, and an operator will take down the details of the location and type of issue.
• Houston 311 app: Download the Houston 311 app, which lets you report issues directly from your smartphone. You can also upload photos to better illustrate the problem.
• Online: Visit the Houston 311 website and fill out the online reporting form.

The City of Houston aims to respond to non-emergency reports like street light outages within 7-10 business days.