News and stories about our work to protect and advance the civil legal rights of low-income Texans.
In the aftermath of the Texas winter storm, which resulted in more snow than the state has seen since 1968, many Texans are desperately seeking help for the physical damage their homes have sustained. While this disaster has brought many communities together, it has also opened the doors to inevitable scams, like price gouging or home repair fraud. Scammers rely […]
Lone Star Legal Aid is hosting a Facebook Live event on Tuesday, February 23, 2021, at 1:00 PM CST to discuss recovery from Texas Severe Winter Storm (DR-4586-TX), now a federally declared disaster. Texans are still feeling the effects of the deep freeze that swept through the state over the last week, leaving many with no power or running water. […]
Thousands of Texas families lost all the food in their fridges after lengthy power outages and while enduring record low temperatures. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) has received federal approval to allow Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (food stamps) recipients to apply for replacement benefits for food lost or destroyed due to the severe winter weather. SNAP […]
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced that federal emergency aid has been made available to the state of Texas to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts in areas affected by a severe winter storm beginning on Feb. 11, 2021 and continuing. Important deadline: You have 60 days from the date of the disaster declaration (2/19/21) to apply […]
Residential homes may have structural issues related to freezing water and many will have leaks which will become even more apparent as the ice thaws due to the winter storm that wreaked havoc in Texas over the last week. If you have homeowners insurance, you may have coverage for this. Find and read your insurance policy as soon as possible, […]
As Texans continue to face the effects of a record-breaking winter storm, they’re faced with new issues, like broken pipes or plumbing problems that have caused flooding and other damage in their homes. Texas renters have a right to ask their landlord for repairs. Identify where you need to submit your request for repairs. Your lease should tell you who […]
Price gouging is illegal, and the Texas Office of the Attorney General and Harris County Attorney haves authority to prosecute any business that engages in price gouging after a disaster has been declared by the governor or president. Texas is currently under a state disaster declaration and federal emergency declaration as its residents endure a record-breaking winter storm, many without […]
In February, crime victim support organizations get involved for National Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month to end the stigma and get people talking about violence seen in our youth. There are many ways to advocate for teen dating violence (TDV) such as being a voice on social media, wearing orange or being there for a friend that has experienced violence. […]
The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) has recently received $1.3 billion in Emergency Rental Assistance funds from the newly passed Coronavirus Relief Bill Rental Assistance Program. TDHCA will use the funds to help renters in Texas pay both current and past due rent and utility bills. Applicants can require assistance for past due, current, and up to […]
Join Lone Star Legal Aid and FamilyTime Crisis and Counseling Center this Friday, February 5th at 10:30am for a live discussion on Facebook. Three of our own staff members will be discussing domestic violence as well as Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month with our special guest and CEO of FamilyTime, Christina Allen. Social worker, Ashleigh Cormier, Social Work Intern, Kayler […]
Tax season is approaching! February 3-7, 2021 is Tax Identity Theft Awareness Week. In the United States, individuals must file a tax return by April 15 giving the IRS all reportable earnings. However, this is also the time of year for tax-related identity theft. Scammers are on the hunt for your identity in order to report false income data and […]
The application process for children’s CHIP or Medicaid can be confusing and overwhelming. Our team of attorneys and paralegals are here to guide you through the entire application process as well as monitor the status of your child’s application. Lone Star Legal Aid’s Connecting Texas Kids to Coverage team prepared answers to the most common health coverage related questions they […]
Earned Income Credit Awareness Day is an event organized by the IRS and its partners to educate the public about the EITC and requirements to claim the credit. The goal is to raise awareness of EITC to ensure every qualified worker claim and receive their EITC. What is the EITC? The Earned Income Tax Credit, EITC or EIC, is a […]
Texas is one of the 14 states that has not expanded Medicaid, leaving 21.5% of children uninsured. About 50% of uninsured children reside in six states in the United States, with Texas taking the lead. Lone Star Legal Aid’s Connecting Texas Kids to Coverage Program (CTKC) legally assists low-income families when applying their kids for medical coverage. We can help […]
In the previous blog on Connecting Texas Kids to Coverage (CTKC), we informed you on what health insurance benefits are available for children and how having these benefits are vital to a child’s health. Texas Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) are two programs our CTKC unit at Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) can help your child obtain. Our […]
Overview Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) aims to protect and advance the civil legal rights of the millions of Texans living in poverty. Our advocacy efforts go beyond the courtroom. Every January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Awareness Month. This year, LSLA joins the awareness effort by educating the community on their rights, as well as providing information on […]
With the recent passage of an additional, second stimulus check, Americans are wondering when they will get their payments. Lone Star Legal Aid’s Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) prepared answers to the most common stimulus-related questions they are receiving. What is the stimulus? Stimulus payments, also called Recovery Rebate or Economic Impact credits, allow eligible Americans the ability to claim […]
Texas Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) offer parents peace of mind knowing their children can get the routine preventative care they need, when they need it, that keeps them healthy. These programs have been able to secure medical coverage benefits for more than 45 million children. While this progress is encouraging, there are still a substantial number […]
Overview There are 623,000 children without health insurance in Texas. Those who lack insurance coverage typically experience far-worse health status than those insured. Uninsured children in Texas may be able to get low-cost health care from Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) or no-cost health care from Children’s Medicaid. Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) has a dedicated team of lawyers and […]
With at least 4 million Texans having filed for unemployment since the beginning of the pandemic, there has been a significant increase in eviction cases as well. Tenants and landlords have been awaiting an update on the federal moratorium on evictions. The moratorium has now been extended until June 30, 2021. The Texas Eviction Diversion Program launched in October. The […]