 In 1985 some residents still used outhouses and some residents did not have bathtubs, sinks, and toilets in their residences.In 1996 Thomas Phillips, a retired longshoreman and Bordersville resident, joined with representatives of Kingwood and sued the City of Houston in a federal court, arguing that the city could not legally annex areas if it did not provide certain services to some of its existing areas, including Bordersville.In 1998 Phillips advocated for the annexation of Humble Heights, an area around Carver Avenue, Dunbar Avenue, and Granger Street, into Houston; if the residents are annexed they would use the city sewer system instead of septic tanks.