May 11, 2022 by Ashley Norris
Legal Services Corporation Releases Research on Unmet Civil Legal Needs of Low-Income Americans
Lone Star Legal Aid is funded in part by Legal Services Corporation (LSC), the largest funder of civil legal aid for low-income Americans in the nation. By partnering with NORC at the University of Chicago, LSC has measured “the difference between the civil legal needs of low-income Americans and the resources available to meet those needs.” In their 2022 report, The Justice Gap, the following information stands out:
- About 50 million Americans have household incomes below 125% of poverty, including more than 15 million children;
- 22.2 million people in the South live below 125% of Federal Poverty Level (FPL);
- Low-income Americans do not get any or enough legal help for 92% of their substantial civil legal problems;
- 2 in 5 (39%) experienced 5+ problems and 1 in 5 (20%) experienced 10+ problems;
- 1 in 2 (55%) low-income Americans who personally experienced a problem say these problems substantially impacted their lives – with the consequences affecting their finances, mental health, physical health and safety, and relationships;
- 1 in 2 (53%) does not know if they could find and afford a lawyer if they needed one;
- People with higher incomes are more likely to seek legal help for problems with substantial impact (32% vs. 25% of problems);
- 33% of low-income Americans experienced at least one civil legal problem linked to the COVID-19 pandemic in the past year. The types of civil legal problems most likely to be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic are income maintenance, education, and housing; and
- All in all, LSC-funded organizations are unable to provide any or enough legal help for an estimated 1.4 million civil legal problems (or 71% of problems) brought to their doors in a year.
You can read the full LSC report here or watch the video overview of LSC’s findings here:
LSLA’s Priorities
We work diligently to protect the safety, stability, and well-being of the millions of Texans living in poverty. In fact, our priorities are as follows:
- Improving the delivery of legal services;
- Providing advice, brief services and referral;
- Maintaining, enhancing and protecting income and economic stability;
- Seeking or maintaining safety, stability, and health or well-being;
- Preserving housing and related housing needs;
- Improving outcomes for children; and
- Assisting populations with special vulnerability.
2021 Impact
In 2021, we helped 61,384 persons, including 28,305 children, 9,013 cases of domestic violence, and 1,375 veterans. As we serve a population of an estimated 2 million low-income individuals across East Texas and Southwest Arkansas, that accounts for roughly 10% of all low-income Southerners. Although we try our best, we don’t have enough resources to represent everyone who needs us. One study has shown that we can directly help only 20% of the people who qualify and need our help—and the same can be said for many U.S. legal aid providers. However, between our staff attorneys, pro bono volunteers, and partner organizations, we can expand upon the resources and assistance available to our client community.
Our mission is not only to expand access to justice, but also to make legal information accessible for all. Through live streams, blog posts, social media content, and our resource library, we strive daily to provide legal information to our client population and beyond, by breaking down complex issues into easy-to-understand material. We hosted and/or participated in 220 in-person events and 492 virtual events, aimed at legal professionals, partner organizations, social service agencies, bar groups, and clients alike, in 2021 alone.
Community Education
Live streams
Every week, LSLA staff engage in thoughtful discussion with a chosen community partner on a relevant legal topic. With each presentation, we are expanding access to free legal information while promoting the work of our staff attorneys and community partners. Our recurring presentations include: Local Law Live, Law Talk Friday, The Safe Space, and PRIDE without Prejudice. Here are a few of our recent episodes:
- Local Law Live: Eviction Resources in the Bryan/College Station Area
- Law Talk Friday – Earth Day 2022: Environmental Justice Initiatives on the Gulf Coast
- The Safe Space: Reporting Sexual Assault & Remedies in the Military
- PRIDE without Prejudice – Breaking Barriers to Housing Stability: Black Trans Intersectionality in Housing Discrimination
Blog Posts
Our communications team shares information on various topics to keep you in the know, like community education, company updates, news relevant to our client population, and stories of justice. Here are a few of our most recent posts:
Community Education
- Crime Victims’ Rights Week – Survivor Projects and Resources at Lone Star Legal Aid
- April is Fair Housing Month 2022
- Preparing Medicaid and SNAP Recipients for the Months Ahead
Company Updates
- Lone Star Legal Aid Celebrates 20 Years
- Connecting Texas Kids to Coverage Unit – Lantrip Elementary Outreach
- Williams Spreads Christmas Cheer To Family Starting Over
News
- The LASSA Texas Network Launches www.LASSATexas.org
- DHS Agrees to Review Complaint Against City of Freeport, TX and Port Freeport for Title VI Violations of the Civil Rights Act
- Port Arthur Community Action Network’s John Beard Receives 2021 Environmental Advocacy Honors
Stories of Justice
- LSLA Wins Appeal for 20-Month-Old Baby Denied Health Benefits Twice
- Survivor Advocate, Cheranda Robertson, Meets Domestic Violence Survivor LSLA Helped Thirty Years Ago – Here’s Her Story
- LSLA Reduced Property Taxes, and Obtained Medical Coverage and SNAP for 92 Year Old Veteran of WWII and the Korean War
Social Media Content
We are active on all major social media platforms. Here are the links to follow along:
- Facebook.com/LoneStarLegalAid
- Instagram @lonestarlegalaid
- Twitter @LStarLegal
- YouTube.com/LStarLegal
- LinkedIn.com/company/lonestarlegalaid
Resource Library
Our resource library is constantly updated to include guides, printable material, videos, and self-help tools. There you can find helpful information on disaster preparedness, evictions, public benefits, and more. Here are some important resources:
- Environmental Nuisance Reporter
- Hurricane Preparedness Flyer
- New Federal Benefit Provides Affordable Broadband Access
- What to do after a Notice to Vacate (Video)
If you would like to represent your own case in court, our Self-Help Resource Team creates A2J Self-Help Tools that help prepare legal documents for individuals representing themselves, and videos that explain various legal processes. You can access these Self-Help Tools and other valuable resources via our extensive Resources Library:
A2J Self-Help Tools
This video explains how to use our A2J Self-Help Tools:
Lone Star Legal Aid is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit law firm focused on advocacy for low-income and underserved populations. Lone Star Legal Aid serves millions of people at 125% of federal poverty guidelines that reside in 72 counties in the eastern and Gulf Coast regions of Texas, and 4 counties of Southwest Arkansas. Lone Star Legal Aid focuses its resources on maintaining, enhancing, and protecting income and economic stability; preserving housing; improving outcomes for children; establishing and sustaining family safety and stability, health and well-being; and assisting populations with special vulnerabilities, like those with disabilities, or who are elderly, homeless, or have limited English language skills. Lone Star Legal Aid does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. To learn more about Lone Star Legal Aid, visit our website at www.lonestarlegal.org.
Media contact: media@lonestarlegal.org
