A former property owner, or the owner’s heirs, successors, or assigns, may repurchase property taken by eminent domain if specified public-use or tax-payment conditions are met.
Sec. 21.101. RIGHT OF REPURCHASE. (a) A person from whom a real property interest is acquired by an entity through eminent domain for a public use, or that person's heirs, successors, or assigns, is entitled to repurchase the property as provided by this subchapter if: (1) the public use for which the property was acquired through eminent domain is canceled before the property is used for that public use; (2) no actual progress is made toward the public use for which the property was acquired between the date of acquisition and the 10th anniversary of that date; (3) the property becomes unnecessary for the public use for which the property was acquired, or a substantially similar public use, before the 10th anniversary of the date of acquisition; (4) the entity that acquired the property through eminent domain: (A) has an obligation to pay ad valorem taxes on the acquired property; (B) has received a tax bill from the taxing authority for the ad valorem taxes on the acquired property; and (C) has failed to pay any ad valorem taxes on the acquired property before the third anniversary of the date on which the unpaid taxes became due; or (5) the entity: (A) acquired through eminent domain a fee simple interest in the property; (B) has an obligation to pay ad valorem taxes on the acquired property; (C) has received a tax bill from the taxing authority for the ad valorem taxes on the acquired property; and (D) has failed to pay any ad valorem taxes on the acquired property before the third anniversary of the date on which the unpaid taxes became due. (b) In this section, "actual progress" means the completion of three or more of the following actions: (1) the performance of a significant amount of labor to develop the property or other property acquired for the same public use project for which the property owner's property was acquired; (2) the provision of a significant amount of materials to develop the property or other property acquired for the same public use project for which the property owner's property was acquired; (3) the hiring of or contracting with and the performance of a significant amount of work by an architect, engineer, or surveyor to prepare a plan, plat, or easement that includes the property or other property acquired for the same public use project for which the property owner's property was acquired; (4) application for state or federal funds to develop the property or other property acquired for the same public use project for which the property owner's property was acquired; or (5) application for a state or federal permit or certificate to develop the property or other property acquired for the same public use project for which the property owner's property was acquired. (b-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (b), a navigation district or port authority, or a water district implementing a project included in the state water plan adopted by the Texas Water Development Board, may establish actual progress for purposes of this section by: (1) the completion of one action described by Subsection (b); and (2) the adoption by a majority of the entity's governing body at a public hearing of a development plan for a public use project that indicates that the entity will not complete more than one action described by Subsection (b) before the 10th anniversary of the date of acquisition of the property. (c) A district court may determine all issues in any suit regarding the repurchase of a real property interest acquired through eminent domain by the former property owner or the owner's heirs, successors, or assigns. Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1307, Sec. 2, eff. Jan. 1, 2004. Amended by: Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 81 (S.B. 18), Sec. 19, eff. September 1, 2011. Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 86 (S.B. 726), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2021. Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 938 (H.B. 2011), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2025.