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Fort Bend County to Distribute $19.5 Million for Rent, Mortgage, and Utility Relief

Fort Bend County approved $19.5 million of funding to assist renters and landlords in paying rent, mortgage, and utilities during the Coronavirus pandemic. Funding for the County’s rental assistance program comes through the Federal CARES Act. The funding will be implemented in 3 phases of $6,500,000 each. Phase 1 will be from June-July, Phase 2 August-September, and Phase 3 October-November. […]

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Lone Star Legal Aid Announces LSLA CARES, a Property Research and Documentation Tool

Lone Star Legal Aid is pleased to announce LSLA CARES, a property research and documentation tool that will help tenants search the many public databases currently available to find out if your property is subject to the CARES Act.  The CARES Act temporarily protects some renters from eviction for nonpayment of rent. It also stops late fees for rent for […]

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Lone Star Legal Aid to Host Friday Law Talk With Galveston’s The Jesse Tree

LSLA will be hosting a chat with its community partner, The Jesse Tree, tomorrow afternoon on Facebook Live. Learn how the CARES Act provides protections to Texas tenants, stopping many landlords from going forward with evictions until August. Tune-in to our Facebook account @LoneStarLegalAid at 3 PM – Friday, May 22, 2020. Lone Star Legal Aid is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit law firm […]

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May is Mental Health Awareness Month: The Effect of Crime on Mental Health

Each year during the month of May, individuals and organizations join the national movement to raise awareness about mental health.  By raising awareness, we can fight the stigma, provide support, and educate the public. Effect of crime on mental health Victimization can be a difficult and stressful experience. Getting back to normal after a crime can cause depression, anxiety, and […]

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LSLA Offers Help to Texans Facing Evictions

Lone Star Legal Aid announces the launch of its Eviction HELP Project. This project is a self-guided tool that helps Texas renters to fight evictions during the COVID 19 Pandemic. Right now, thousands of renters across Texas are facing evictions. But there are protections for renters. The Eviction HELP Project helps eviction litigants prepare for court by giving renters legal […]

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Lone Star Legal Aid to Host Friday Law Talk With United Way of Matagorda County

With some evictions allowed to start now, it’s important to understand who can and who cannot be evicted at this time. LSLA will be hosting a chat with its community partner, United Way of Matagorda County, tomorrow afternoon on Facebook Live. Learn how the CARES Act provides protections to Texas tenants, stopping many landlords from going forward with evictions until […]

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COVID-19 – Impacts on Compliance with and Enforcement of Environmental Laws

Have environmental laws changed during COVID-19? Yes, some temporary changes were recently made to both federal and state environmental policies in response to COVID-19. On March 26, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the agency’s exercise of its enforcement discretion for noncompliance due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The policy applies retroactively beginning on March 13, 2020. A seven-page […]

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COVID-19 – Common Family Law Questions

The Texas Supreme Court issued an order April 27, 2020, in effect until July 15, 2020, saying that for determining a person’s right to possession of and access to a child under a court-ordered possession schedule, the existing trial court order controls in all instances.  Family Law experts from Lone Star Legal Aid’s Justice for Crime Survivors Project and Legal […]

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City of Houston Launches $15 Million COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program

On May 6, Houston City Council members approved a $15 million rental relief program to help landlords and renters make up for rent losses due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Funding for the City’s rental assistance program comes through the Federal CARES Act. The program will cover up to $1,056 per month in rent expenses for the months of April and […]

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Hurricane Preparedness, Part 3: Safeguarding Important Documents

You and your family’s personal safety comes first when preparing for a disaster. Disasters can take lives, homes, cars, as well as all of your personal belongings. Having your financial, medical, and identification information and documentation safe is vital to start the recovery process. Taking the time to protect these documents will save you from unnecessary stress following a disaster. […]

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Hurricane Preparedness, Part 2: Title Clearing

Lone Star Legal Aid is no stranger to disaster recovery. This National Preparedness Month, as the world endures the COVID-19 Pandemic, LSLA focuses on continuing its hurricane preparation education. While it’s important to prepare the physical structure of your home for the elements, it is also important to make sure that your property is ready legally so that you are […]

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COVID-19 – Avoiding Foreclosure Under the CARES Act

On March 27, 2020, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). The CARES Act gave people with federally backed mortgages certain temporary protection from foreclosure.  What is a federally backed mortgage under the CARES Act? A federally backed mortgage is a mortgage that is issued, purchased, or insured by one of the following government agencies: […]

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Hurricane Preparedness, Part 1: Knowing Your Flood Risk

Causing billions of dollars in damage annually, flooding is the biggest threat to property and lives during a hurricane or tropical storm.  Storm surges can be deadly, and a hurricane’s drenching rains can have profound impacts on communities located further inland, even 100 miles from the coast. While you can never be sure whether your home will flood or not, […]

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Texas Legal Aid Providers Ready to Assist Low-Income Renters and Borrowers During Coronavirus Pandemic

Clarissa Ayala | Communications Director Lone Star Legal Aid | 832-627-8404 | cayala@lonestarlegal.org Shelby Alexander | Communications Director | Texas RioGrande Legal Aid 512-374-2717 | salexander@trla.org Shelby Jean | Director of Communications | Legal Aid of Northwest Texas 817-339-5384 | jeans@lanwt.org Meghan Lee | Communications Manager | Texas Legal Service Center | 281-705-4973 | mlee@tlsc.org Houston, TX – Last week […]

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COVID-19 – Evictions in Texas – 12th Emergency Order

Texas Legal Aid Providers Offer Housing Resources During Coronavirus Pandemic As a new month approaches, many people across Texas are still reeling from the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic and are struggling to make rent. The Texas Supreme Court issued its 12th emergency order extending the statewide eviction trial moratorium to help Texans unable to pay their rent. This order […]

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Community Webinar: How to Write Comments on the Proposed Seaport Oil Terminal (SPOT) Deepwater Port Application

Community members have a unique voice when it comes to commenting on large infrastructure projects which can impact community health, safety, and livelihoods. The public comment process provides an opportunity for community members to share their personal experiences and concerns about a potential project undergoing the environmental review process under the National Environmental Policy Act. In the following video presentation, LSLA […]

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COVID-19 – Tax – Stimulus Payments

Who is eligible? U.S. residents will receive the Economic Impact Payment of $1,200 for individual or head of household filers, and $2,400 for married filing jointly if they are not a dependent of another taxpayer and have a work-eligible Social Security number with adjusted gross income (AGI) up to: $75,000 for individuals $112,500 for the head of household filers and […]

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