Houston Republic

A Houston-based broker is urging the commercial real estate industry to think more about the bad actors in human trafficking who are using their properties to enslave others, Bisnow reported.

"Every different type of commercial venue is being used, whether they’re housing people or they’re using it for the actual acts," Colliers International Senior Associate Jillian Fredericks told Bisnow.

Human traffickers use all sorts of commercial and residential real estate, including strip malls, restaurants and office and apartment buildings, often in plain sight, Bisnow reported.

Though there are few proactive initiatives by real estate professionals in the Houston area combating human trafficking, that may be changing, thanks to Fredericks, the article said.

Fredericks works out of Colliers' office in The Woodlands, a master planned community near Houston, where she specializes in landlord representation. The Woodlands office manages a Class A and Class B office building portfolio of more than 2.5 million square feet.  

Fredericks has been trying to raise awareness about human trafficking in the Houston area since, spurred by her participation in groups such as the Junior League of Houston and Arrow Child & Families Ministries.

"The more I learned about it, and the more that I learned how real estate is involved, I thought, 'Ok, I can make a bigger difference educating my industry than working with victims,'" Fredericks said.

She has provided an internal presentation for Colliers's Houston office in Houston and two annual presentations for the Commercial Real Estate Association of Montgomery County and is working on presentations for real estate groups in other Texas cities.

The best way for the commercial real estate industry to combat human trafficking is to be better educated about trafficking and to watch out for warning signs and legal liabilities, according to the article.

"What could make a dent is landlords becoming more strict with their language toward adult service-type companies, and being aware of who they're leasing to," Fredericks said.