Sec. 209.002. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
(1) "Assessment" means a regular assessment, special assessment, or other amount a property owner is required to pay a property owners' association under the dedicatory instrument or by law.
(2) "Board" means the governing body of a property owners' association.
(3) "Declaration" means an instrument filed in the real property records of a county that includes restrictive covenants governing a residential subdivision.
(4) "Dedicatory instrument" means each governing instrument covering the establishment, maintenance, and operation of a residential subdivision. The term includes restrictions or similar instruments subjecting property to restrictive covenants, bylaws, or similar instruments governing the administration or operation of a property owners' association, to properly adopted rules and regulations of the property owners' association, and to all lawful amendments to the covenants, bylaws, rules, or regulations.
(4-a) "Development period" means a period stated in a declaration during which a declarant reserves:
(A) a right to facilitate the development, construction, and marketing of the subdivision; or
(B) a right to direct the size, shape, and composition of the subdivision.
(5) "Lot" means any designated parcel of land located in a residential subdivision, including any improvements on the designated parcel.
(5-a) "Management company" means a person or entity established or contracted to provide management or administrative services on behalf of a property owners' association.
(6) "Owner" means a person who holds record title to property in a residential subdivision and includes the personal representative of a person who holds record title to property in a residential subdivision.
(7) "Property owners' association" or "association" means an incorporated or unincorporated association that:
(A) is designated as the representative of the owners of property in a residential subdivision;
(B) has a membership primarily consisting of the owners of the property covered by the dedicatory instrument for the residential subdivision; and
(C) manages or regulates the residential subdivision for the benefit of the owners of property in the residential subdivision.
(8) "Regular assessment" means an assessment, a charge, a fee, or dues that each owner of property within a residential subdivision is required to pay to the property owners' association on a regular basis and that is designated for use by the property owners' association for the benefit of the residential subdivision as provided by the restrictions.
(9) "Residential subdivision" or "subdivision" means a subdivision, planned unit development, townhouse regime, or similar planned development in which all land has been divided into two or more parts and is subject to restrictions that:
(A) limit a majority of the land subject to the dedicatory instruments, excluding streets, common areas, and public areas, to residential use for single-family homes, townhomes, or duplexes only;
(B) are recorded in the real property records of the county in which the residential subdivision is located; and
(C) require membership in a property owners' association that has authority to impose regular or special assessments on the property in the subdivision.
(10) "Restrictions" means one or more restrictive covenants contained or incorporated by reference in a properly recorded map, plat, replat, declaration, or other instrument filed in the real property records or map or plat records. The term includes any amendment or extension of the restrictions.
(11) "Restrictive covenant" means any covenant, condition, or restriction contained in a dedicatory instrument, whether mandatory, prohibitive, permissive, or administrative.
(12) "Special assessment" means an assessment, a charge, a fee, or dues, other than a regular assessment, that each owner of property located in a residential subdivision is required to pay to the property owners' association, according to procedures required by the dedicatory instruments, for:
(A) defraying, in whole or in part, the cost, whether incurred before or after the assessment, of any construction or reconstruction, unexpected repair, or replacement of a capital improvement in common areas owned by the property owners' association, including the necessary fixtures and personal property related to the common areas;
(B) maintenance and improvement of common areas owned by the property owners' association; or
(C) other purposes of the property owners' association as stated in its articles of incorporation or the dedicatory instrument for the residential subdivision.
(13) "Verified mail" means any method of mailing for which evidence of mailing is provided by the United States Postal Service or a common carrier.
Added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 926, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 2002.
Amended by:
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 863 (H.B. 503), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2013.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1183 (S.B. 1168), Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2015.
Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 951 (S.B. 1588), Sec. 9, eff. September 1, 2021.
Structure Texas Statutes
Title 11 - Restrictive Covenants
Chapter 209 - Texas Residential Property Owners Protection Act
Section 209.002. Definitions
Section 209.003. Applicability of Chapter
Section 209.004. Management Certificates
Section 209.0041. Adoption or Amendment of Certain Dedicatory Instruments
Section 209.0042. Methods of Providing Notices to Owners
Section 209.005. Association Records
Section 209.00505. Architectural Review Authority
Section 209.0051. Open Board Meetings
Section 209.0052. Association Contracts
Section 209.0056. Notice of Election or Association Vote
Section 209.0057. Recount of Votes
Section 209.0059. Right to Vote
Section 209.00591. Board Membership
Section 209.00592. Voting; Quorum
Section 209.00593. Election of Board Members
Section 209.00594. Tabulation of and Access to Ballots
Section 209.006. Notice Required Before Enforcement Action
Section 209.0062. Alternative Payment Schedule for Certain Assessments
Section 209.0063. Priority of Payments
Section 209.0064. Third Party Collections
Section 209.0065. Credit Reporting Services
Section 209.007. Hearing Before Board; Alternative Dispute Resolution
Section 209.008. Attorney's Fees
Section 209.009. Foreclosure Sale Prohibited in Certain Circumstances
Section 209.0092. Judicial Foreclosure Required
Section 209.0093. Removal or Adoption of Foreclosure Authority
Section 209.0094. Assessment Lien Filing
Section 209.010. Notice After Foreclosure Sale
Section 209.011. Right of Redemption After Foreclosure
Section 209.012. Restrictive Covenants Granting Easements to Certain Property Owners' Associations
Section 209.014. Mandatory Election Required After Failure to Call Regular Meeting
Section 209.015. Regulation of Land Use: Residential Purpose
Section 209.016. Regulation of Residential Leases or Rental Agreements