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In 2013, Maira and Charlesh wed in Pakistan, aspiring to a brighter future in the United States. Charlesh migrated in 2015, followed by Maira and their child in 2017. They secured employment, obtained green cards, and aimed for U.S. citizenship. After arriving, Charlesh’s demeanor changed, leading to abuse and then a divorce and custody dispute. Charlesh deliberately isolated Maira and […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Harris County, TX – August 14, 2023 – Lone Star Legal Aid (“LSLA”), a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free legal services to underserved communities, has achieved a significant victory for tenants by securing the dismissal of over 100 eviction cases at Cabo San Lucas and Redford Apartments in Harris County. In a remarkable demonstration of their […]

It wasn’t until 1990 that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law to give people with disabilities a chance at equal opportunity. People were living with disabilities that no one had ever heard of before but didn’t have equal access to justice. People were facing segregation, discrimination, and attacks on their basic human rights.  Fast forward 25 […]

Our elderly population routinely faces several forms of abuse, like neglect and financial exploitation. Consistently educating the public through advocacy and action will provide awareness and prevention of elder abuse. June is Elder Abuse Awareness Month, and today, June 15, is Elder Abuse Awareness Day! While physical abuse, neglect and abandonment are frequently used forms of elder abuse, financial exploitation […]

Contacts: Clarissa Ayala, cayala@lonestarlegal.org, 832-627-8404 Riikka Pohjankoski, riikka@airalliancehouston.org, 713-589-7079 Allyn West, awest@edf.org, 713-724-1810 MEDIA ADVISORY: (Houston, TX, June 15, 2023) — Concerned with the health and environmental risks connected to Port Houston’s $1 billion expansion of the Houston Ship Channel, known as Project 11, Healthy Port Communities Coalition representatives and legal and scientific experts will gather for a day of […]

PTSD Awareness Overview National Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Month is celebrated annually in June, and the awareness day is June 27, 2023. It aims to raise awareness of the disorder itself, which is a mental health issue that can develop after a person has endured a traumatic event, such as war, sexual assault, or a natural disaster. A person […]

If you’re living in “affordable housing,” you’re probably surrounded by poverty. It’s not supposed to be this way. When the poorest people are crowded in the least hospitable neighborhoods, it results in a lower standard of living. Ideally, subsidized housing would be constructed in areas with fewer poor people and less racial concentration. When developers try to build affordable housing […]

Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) is pleased to announce a significant environmental justice settlement achieved in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on behalf of Super Neighborhood 48, encompassing Trinity Gardens and Houston Gardens. This groundbreaking agreement is a major step forward in protecting underserved communities and their rights to a healthy and sustainable environment. Super Neighborhood 48’s […]

Meet Dennis, a devoted husband and father, whose life took an unexpected turn when he applied for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and was shockingly denied. Despite battling high blood pressure, gout, arthritis in multiple areas of his body, and lingering depression, Dennis was told he was “not disabled.” Faced with the daunting reality of being unable to work due […]

Lone Star Legal Aid joins the National PRIDE celebration throughout the month of June. LSLA recognizes the importance of connecting to our client populations in a respectful, culturally competent manner. With recent expansions in LGBTQIA+ legal rights and protections, it is important that members of the community are offered direct legal assistance and opportunities to learn about their rights through […]

Mr. Yuriy Chertkov and his wife are Russian-speaking Holocaust survivors who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. In December, 2021, the couple received a reparations payment from Germany, which increased their bank account balance, putting them over the SSI resource limit. As a result, the Social Security Administration (SSA) determined they were not eligible for SSI for the month after […]

15-year-old Sarah’s dentist told her she needed braces. Although she had a health plan that was part of a Managed Care Organization (MCO), her orthodontic claims were denied over and over. They claimed braces are not “medically necessary.” Sarah’s mother Kathy reached out to Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) for assistance with an appeal. Elizabeth Green, in our Public Benefits […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                                    […]

What is Title IX? Title IX is a federal civil rights law in the United States that prohibits discrimination based on sex in any educational institution that receives federal funding. Title IX protects individuals from gender-based discrimination in education, including sexual harassment, sexual violence, and sexual assault. Title IX requires educational institutions to address reports of sexual violence and support […]

HOUSTON, TX – Lone Star Legal Aid, alongside dozens of other volunteers and local nonprofit organizations, were recipients of volunteer appreciation awards Friday morning at City Hall. We were presented with the Mayor’s Community Engagement Award. We received the award because of our involvement with the City of Houston Department of Neighborhoods (DON) and Neighborhood Recovery Community Development Corporation’s (NRCDC) […]

David Jenkins was discharged honorably from the US Army in 1973, and even received the National Defense Service Medal for his time on duty. Many veterans face difficulties adjusting to civilian life after time in the military, which can lead to mental health challenges like depression and anxiety. In almost a third of cases, this can also lead to involvement […]

Houston, Texas – The City of Houston’s Council Member, Leticia Plummer, hosted the Fifth Ward Cancer Cluster Collaborative Summit from April 24th through the 27th. The summit included a community sites tour, press conference, townhall, a proclamation in honor of IMPACT Greater Fifth Ward and advocate Sandra Small, and community breakout sessions with environmental and community leaders. IMPACT Greater Fifth […]

The Champions of Justice Gala Benefiting Veterans, held on April 25 at the Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin, raised $485,000 to provide civil legal services to low-income Texas veterans. The Texas Access to Justice Commission and the State Bar of Texas co-sponsored the event, and the funds raised will be distributed by the Texas Access to Justice Foundation […]

April is Texas Giving Month, a time to help Texas charities recover from a turbulent last few years. Nonprofits are also businesses, and individual donations allow us to be innovative, provide high quality services, and sustain our work when other resources are unavailable. Individual donations also allow us to help people and families in ways that funders and program designers […]

A whole week in April each year is dedicated to recognizing crime victims, their rights, and their stories. It is an annual campaign that focuses on the victims’ rights movement, federal legislation, court decisions, government actions, and programs working with crime victims. The week-long campaign raises awareness and helps victims rebuild their lives. National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is a […]