Tex. Loc. Gov't Code Ann. ch. 214 (subchs. A, B, C, G, H, I, Z) § 214.00111
ADDITIONAL AUTHORITY TO PRESERVE SUBSTANDARD BUILDING AS HISTORIC PROPERTY.
Operative Text
Sec. 214.00111. ADDITIONAL AUTHORITY TO PRESERVE SUBSTANDARD BUILDING AS HISTORIC PROPERTY. (a) This section applies only to a municipality that is designated as a certified local government by the state historic preservation officer as provided by 16 U.S.C.A. Section 470 et seq.(b) This section does not apply to an owner-occupied, single-family dwelling.(c) Before a notice is sent or a hearing is conducted under Section 214.001, the historic preservation board of a municipality may review a building described by Section 214.001(a) to determine whether the building can be rehabilitated and designated:(1) on the National Register of Historic Places;(2) as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark; or(3) as historic property through a municipal historic designation.(d) If a municipal historic preservation board reviews a building, the board shall submit a written report to the municipality indicating the results of the review conducted under this section before a public hearing is conducted under Section 214.001.(e) If the municipal historic preservation board report determines that the building may not be rehabilitated and designated as historic property, the municipality may proceed as provided by Section 214.001.(f) If the municipal historic preservation board report determines that the building may be rehabilitated and designated as historic property, the municipality may not permit the building to be demolished for at least 90 days after the date the report is submitted. During this 90-day period, the municipality shall notify the owner and attempt to identify a feasible alternative use for the building or locate an alternative purchaser to rehabilitate and maintain the building. If the municipality is not able to locate the owner or if the owner does not respond within the 90-day period, the municipality may appoint a receiver as provided by Section 214.003.(g) The municipality may require the building to be demolished as provided by Section 214.001 after the expiration of the 90-day period if the municipality is not able to:(1) identify a feasible alternative use for the building;(2) locate an alternative purchaser to rehabilitate and maintain the building; or(3) appoint a receiver for the building as provided by Section 214.003.(h) An owner of a building described by Section 214.001(a) is not liable for penalties related to the building that accrue during the 90-day period provided for disposition of historic property under this section. Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 158, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 28, 1995.
Section 214.00111 of the Texas Local Government Code gives qualifying municipalities — those recognized as certified local governments under federal historic preservation law — a special process to evaluate substandard buildings for historic significance before taking demolition action. If a municipal historic preservation board finds that a building could be rehabilitated and designated as historic, the municipality must pause any demolition proceedings for at least 90 days and actively seek alternative uses or buyers. This pause does not apply to owner-occupied single-family homes, and if no viable alternative is found within the 90-day window, the municipality may resume standard substandard-building procedures under Section 214.001.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Section 214.00111, owners of non-owner-occupied properties in certified local government municipalities may find that a historic preservation board review delays any demolition or enforcement action by at least 90 days if the board concludes the building is potentially rehabilitable as a historic property. During that period, the municipality is required to reach out to the owner and explore alternative uses or purchasers, so maintaining current contact information with local authorities is a practice consistent with compliance. Notably, the statute explicitly shields owners from accruing penalties related to the building during this 90-day disposition period, which is a meaningful protection for property owners navigating the process.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 214.00111 can affect tenants in substandard buildings that may have historic significance, because the law requires a municipality to pause demolition for at least 90 days while exploring rehabilitation options — potentially preserving housing that might otherwise be demolished. Tenants in buildings subject to this review process may want to monitor communications from the municipality and connect with local tenant-rights organizations to understand how the historic preservation review interacts with any ongoing code-enforcement or relocation proceedings. If a municipality proceeds to demolition without following the board-review steps required by Section 214.00111, that procedural gap may be relevant to any administrative or legal challenge a tenant or other interested party might consider.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 28, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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