News and stories about our work to protect and advance the civil legal rights of low-income Texans.
Elizabeth Villareal came to LSLA after being served with an eviction petition and having her water shut off for three weeks. She, her husband, and two daughters were struggling financially as a result of COVID-19; Elizabeth contracted COVID and lost her job as a result. By the time she had recovered, the business had gone under. Elizabeth’s landlord, who was […]
Houston, TX – Lone Star Legal Aid has been awarded a $40,000 grant from the Texas Bar Foundation that will support its Eviction Right to Counsel initiative. The concept of the program came to fruition after the pandemic pushed Houston and the rest of America into an eviction crisis. The Eviction Right to Counsel initiative (ER2C) is similar to a […]
Many of the 1.5 million incarcerated people in the U.S. met the requirements for stimulus payments but only 85,000 of them were able to receive their checks before the action was reversed. Those who had been incarcerated as of March 27, 2020 were previously deemed ineligible by the IRS to receive their stimulus checks. However, the IRS is appealing to […]
With the nation beginning its economic recovery, the Texas Workforce Commission will reinstate work search requirements for those in need of unemployment benefits. Work search requirements have been suspended since March when the pandemic forced sweeping shutdowns. Although the COVID crisis is nowhere near resolved, employment opportunities have been steadily cropping up in Texas as the economy slowly adjusts. When […]
The IRS announced yesterday that they were extending the amount of time Americans have to request their Economic Impact Payment (stimulus) to November 21, 2020. This applies to people who didn’t have to file a 2019 tax return, who didn’t get their payment or register for it. If you have already completed the non-filer portal but have not gotten your […]
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an order on Tuesday, September 1, 2020, protecting low to moderate-income renters from eviction for nonpayment of rent throughout the remainder of 2020. The order’s eviction moratorium protects only renters who meet all of the following: The renter must expect to earn no more than $99,000 in annual income in 2020 […]
For tenants facing eviction, the Supreme Court of Texas issued its 20th Emergency Order on Tuesday, July 21, 2020. The order applies to rental properties covered by the CARES Act and requires landlords to make three statements about the rental property. First, the landlord must state that the tenant was provided with a 30 day Notice to Vacate. Failure to […]
Under the existing law, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), employers of a certain size are required to allow workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave without losing their job for personal sickness, to take care of sick family members or for a new baby. That could well apply to anyone who is sick or caring for a […]
As millions of Texans continue to struggle with financial hardships brought on by mass layoffs and record job losses during the COVID-19 pandemic, Houston became one of the first major American cities to allow eviction proceedings to resume after the Texas Supreme Court lifted a temporary statewide moratorium on evictions in May. While the federal CARES Act continues to prohibit […]
The Federal Government has approved protections for homeowners struggling economically as a result of COVID-19 related illness or loss of wages. Below you will find resources to several foreclosure moratoriums that could save your home. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) authorized the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) to implement an immediate foreclosure and eviction moratorium for single family […]
Family dynamics have been altered due to the current health pandemic which have put children at a higher risk for abuse and neglect. The decline of childcare availability and economic hardship resulting from loss of employment may affect how parents and guardians treat their children. Abusive behaviors include sexual, physical, and emotional abuse. As the world tackles the virus and […]
On June 12, Harris County officially sent out half of its $30 million Coronavirus relief fund to 44 community-based organizations. These organizations are tasked with dispersing the money to eligible residents and families to help pay for housing, childcare, food, electricity, and other essential needs. Residents of Harris County in need can apply to qualify for the second round of […]
Lone Star Legal Aid’s online intake is now available in Spanish and Vietnamese. According to the Texas Tribune, “Of the nearly 24 million people in Texas five years or older, 65 percent speak only English at home. The rest speak more than 160 languages combined.” Spanish and Vietnamese are numbers 1 and 2 in the top 10 languages spoken in […]
A Houston program is now providing free animal boarding services to survivors of abuse, in effort to help them flee from their violent homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Houston Dog Ranch is partnering with animal shelter PetSet to launch “Pet Protect,” a service to cover boarding costs, and training or rehabilitation fees for both the dog and owner. Dogs […]
The United States Department of the Treasury began mailing prepaid debit cards to people who did not have direct deposit set up, instead of a paper check. EIP Card recipients can use them just like regular debit cards; to make purchases, get cash from in-network ATMs, and transfer funds to their personal bank account without incurring any fees. It could […]
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. […]
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 […]
Houston, TX – Lone Star Legal Aid announces a new grant provided by the Greater Houston COVID-19 Recovery Fund. This grant is made possible as a result of the United Way of Greater Houston and the Greater Houston Community Foundation, standing together to help support those impacted by COVID-19 and those who may be impacted in the future due to […]
Updated July 1, 2020 The Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Texas Department of Agriculture, and the Texas Education Agency have created a new program to help parents of school-age children. WHAT IS IT? COVID P-EBT BENEFITS – A ONE TIME BENEFIT of $285 per child (like disaster food stamps), for people with school-age children on FREE OR REDUCED PRICE […]
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 […]