THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE 16. GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 51.  SIZE OF HOMESTEAD; USES; RELEASE OR REFINANCE OF EXISTING LIEN.  The homestead, not in a town or city, shall consist of not more than two hundred acres of land, which may be in one or more parcels, with the improvements thereon; the homestead in a city, town or village, shall consist of lot or contiguous lots amounting to not more than 10 acres of land, together with any improvements on the land; provided, that the homestead in a city, town or village shall be used for the purposes of a home, or as both an urban home and a place to exercise a calling or business, of the homestead claimant, whether a single adult person, or the head of a family; provided also, that any temporary renting of the homestead shall not change the character of the same, when no other homestead has been acquired; provided further that a release or refinance of an existing lien against a homestead as to a part of the homestead does not create an additional burden on the part of the homestead property that is unreleased or subject to the refinance, and a new lien is not invalid only for that reason.  
(Feb. 15, 1876. Amended Nov. 3, 1970, Nov. 6, 1973, Nov. 8, 1983, and Nov. 2, 1999.)
NOTE:  The joint resolution amending Sec. 51 in 1983 included a section that did not purport to amend the constitution and that provided the following:  "This amendment applies to all homesteads in this state, including homesteads acquired before the adoption of this amendment."