In This Section

Navigation for Caring for the Coast

Caring for the Coast Home Oil Spills Environmental Protection Permit Assistance Coastal Erosion Open Beaches

Houses On The Beach

Local Beach Access Plans

Coastal Construction Grants & Funding Hurricanes Education & Outreach Public Notices How Do I? Vessel Removal Location and Hours Adopt-A-Beach

Houses On The Beach

Moving houses off the public beach
The Texas Open Beach Act prohibits any structure on the public beach easement. If your house winds up on the public beach easement after a storm, you may be eligible for up to $50,000 to help reimburse you for moving the structure to a suitable, landward location.

Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson’s Plan for Texas Open Beaches seeks to remove structures from the public beach easement through a cooperative approach with property owners, not through litigation.

Structures on the public beach easement not only inhibit public access — a constitutional right for Texans — they also become hazardous to other coastal properties when a storm surge rolls across the beach and sweeps them from their pilings.

Since first offering coastal property owners up to $50,000 in relocation expense reimbursement, the Texas General Land Office has removed 18 structures from the public beach without the hassle and expense of litigation.