Property owners or their heirs, successors, or assigns may request certain information about condemned property, and the entity must respond in writing within 90 days.
Sec. 21.1021. REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION REGARDING CONDEMNED PROPERTY. (a) On or after the 10th anniversary of the date on which real property was acquired by an entity through eminent domain, a property owner or the owner's heirs, successors, or assigns may request that the condemning entity make a determination and provide a statement and other relevant information regarding: (1) whether the public use for which the property was acquired was canceled before the property was used for the public use; (2) whether any actual progress was made toward the public use between the date of acquisition and the 10th anniversary of that date, including an itemized description of the progress made, if applicable; and (3) whether the property became unnecessary for the public use, or a substantially similar public use, before the 10th anniversary of the date of acquisition. (a-1) If a property owner's real property was acquired by an entity that is responsible for paying ad valorem taxes on the acquired property, the property owner from whom the property was acquired or the owner's heirs, successors, or assigns may request at any time after the 18-month anniversary of the acquisition, but not more than once annually, that the condemning entity make a determination and provide a statement and other relevant information regarding: (1) whether all ad valorem taxes on the acquired property have been paid; or (2) if any ad valorem taxes on the acquired property have not been paid: (A) the amount of the unpaid ad valorem taxes; (B) each due date of any unpaid ad valorem taxes; and (C) whether the entity has a good faith intention to pay the unpaid ad valorem taxes. (a-2) If a fee simple interest in a property owner's real property was acquired by an entity that is responsible for paying ad valorem taxes on the acquired property and the acquired property is undeveloped, the property owner from whom the property was acquired or the owner's heirs, successors, or assigns may request at any time after the 18-month anniversary of the acquisition and before the 10th anniversary of the acquisition, but not more than once annually, that the condemning entity make a determination and provide a statement and other relevant information regarding: (1) whether all ad valorem taxes on the acquired property have been paid; or (2) if any ad valorem taxes on the acquired property have not been paid: (A) the amount of the unpaid ad valorem taxes; (B) each due date of any unpaid ad valorem taxes; and (C) whether the entity has a good faith intention to pay the unpaid ad valorem taxes. (b) A request under this section must contain sufficient detail to allow the entity to identify the specific tract of land in relation to which the information is sought. (c) Not later than the 90th day following the date of receipt of the request for information, the entity shall send a written response by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the requestor. Amended by: Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 81 (S.B. 18), Sec. 19, eff. September 1, 2011. Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 938 (H.B. 2011), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2025.