One man’s trash is another man’s
treasure. That’s especially true when you’re hitting up a garage sale.
Not only do the sales provide customers with the perfect way to find
inexpensive furniture or dishes, they’re also eco-friendly. Instead of
buying new things, old, gently used items that have been upcycled
can be toted home. But for one elderly Houston couple, earning an
income through their sales has landed them in hot water. The city is
suing to make the garage sales stop.
The
couple has been hosting the sales on a daily basis to supplement their
income. Jorge is blind in both eyes and only gets a meager disability check. According to the city of Houston website,
garage sales aren’t actually regulated, and there is no “garage sale
permit.” However, Houston stipulates that “residents are allowed to have
only two such sales within a 12-month period. Any more than two and the
resident is recognized as having a business and must obtain a sales-tax
permit from the state.”
