October 25, 2022 by Clarissa Ayala
Lone Star Legal Aid Honors Hilary Tyson of Boyar Miller for Pro Bono Week 2022
Since March 2021, Ms. Hilary Tyson of Boyar Miller Attorneys at Law has been working closely with Lone Star Legal Aid to serve the Houston/Trinity Gardens community. The Houston/Trinity Gardens community is predominately African American, low-income, and while historically residential—it has suffered from years of neglect and divestment. Because Houston is without zoning, incompatible land uses plague this residential community, such as industrial operations, many of which are environmental hazards, health hazards, or create nuisance conditions. Ms. Tyson has been supporting Houston/Trinity Gardens’ community-driven initiative to utilize deed restrictions as a tool for a healthier community free from environmental hazards by providing free legal services related to the implementation, drafting, and enforcement of deed restrictions.
Ms. Tyson has donated her valuable time and expertise in collaboration with Lone Star Legal Aid to help preserve and protect Houston/Trinity Gardens by implementing deed restrictions. Ms. Tyson’s contributions include:
- Hosting multiple community meetings with Lone Star Legal Aid to provide education and facilitate discussions around the process and effects of deed restrictions.
- Drafting restrictions for the community focused on preserving the residential character of the community and protecting against detrimental land uses for 250+ homes in the Houston/Trinity Gardens neighborhood.
- Meeting with the community to discuss the drafted restrictions and respond to community member input on changes to the draft.
- Answering community member questions about deed restrictions.
- Attending multiple in-person signature events to collect the requisite number of signatures to create restrictions. These signature events are held in the community. Ms. Tyson attended, answered questions from community members, and provided information about the deed restriction process.
In addition to this community-specific deed restriction project in Houston/Trinity Gardens, Ms. Tyson also contributed to broader community education efforts via a 5-week workshop for community members hosted by Lone Star Legal Aid in partnership with local community groups. In May 2021, Ms. Tyson was invited to participate in a 5-week workshop with community partners and Lone Star Legal Aid because of her dedication to pro bono services and her real estate expertise. The workshop’s goal was to educate communities-in-need all over greater Houston and surrounding areas on deed restrictions as a tool for community preservation and protection. Ms. Tyson not only attended the workshop, but also presented on the following topics: why deed restrictions are important; who can enforce deed restrictions; and how can you enforce deed restrictions. Ms. Tyson’s presentations broke down complex information to give community members important information on ways to maintain a healthy community through the protections afforded by deed restrictions.
“Ms. Tyson’s admirable pro bono services exemplify excellence,” says Amy Catherine Dinn.
Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit law firm focused on advocacy for low-income and underserved populations by providing free legal education, advice, and representation. LSLA serves millions of people at 125% of federal poverty guidelines, who live in 72 counties in the eastern and Gulf Coast regions of Texas, and 4 counties in Southwest Arkansas. LSLA focuses its resources on maintaining, enhancing, and protecting income and economic stability; preserving housing; improving outcomes for children; establishing and sustaining family safety, stability, health, and wellbeing; and assisting populations with special vulnerabilities, like those with disabilities, the aging, survivors of crime and disasters, the unemployed and underemployed, the unhoused, those with limited English language skills, and the LGBTQIA+ community. To learn more about Lone Star Legal Aid, visit our website at www.LoneStarLegal.org.
Media contact: media@lonestarlegal.org
