News and stories about our work advancing civil legal rights for low-income Texans.
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When your abusive partner doesn’t understand that what they are saying is wrong or what they are doing is hurtful, it is reasonable to look for tools on how to communicate with them so that they can comprehend the effects of their actions. If you are the survivor of or are currently in an abusive relationship, the National Domestic Abuse […]
Cities across the United States have begun to address Climate Change. On July 25th, 2019, the City of Houston joined these efforts by releasing a Draft Climate Action Plan to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions as a pathway to meet the Paris Agreement. Funded in part by CenterPoint Energy and the Jacob and Terese Hershey Foundation, the development of […]
When someone is being hurt either by words or actions on purpose, they have become a victim of bullying. Bullies habitually abuse, taunt and deliberately intimidate others. Acts of bullying can be physical or verbal causing victims to feel powerless and are intentional behaviors that are repeated and aggressive. People who bully others are looking to gain a feeling of […]
Right now someone is contributing their time to helping others, playing with animals or caring for the elderly. Take some time to recognize the nonprofit organizations in your community who are dedicated to public benefit. National Nonprofit Day recognizes more than a nonprofit’s altruistic goals, but the positive impacts they have had on their community and the world. Lone Star […]
Houston, TX – Tuesday, August 6, 2019, is National Night Out! NNO is an annual community-building campaign that enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement. There are many events going on nationwide to support the cause and you can find Lone Star Legal Aid participating in the event that will be hosted at the University of Houston Downtown (UHD) […]
Today, the globe recognizes World Day Against Trafficking. WDAT is an annual event promoting awareness and prevention of the human trafficking crisis as a massive worldwide problem. On average, 30 million victims of human trafficking are sold globally. Victims are made up of 51 percent women, 28 percent children and 21 percent men. Statistics also show that forced labor and […]
Stalking is a series of unwanted, harassing behaviors which is a serious and often violent crime leaving victims feeling on edge. Each year, 7.5 million people are victims of stalking in the United States. There are various ways a person can stalk you. Learn the forms of stalking below. Repeatedly calling you Following you Showing up wherever you are Sending […]
What is a Transfer on Death Deed and what is it used for? Also known as the Beneficiary Deed, the TODD is a document that states who will receive real estate upon the death of its current owners. Real estate that isn’t held in a certain way or owned by someone is considered probate property and must inevitably pass through […]
Lone Star Legal Aid’s Disaster Relief Team co-hosted a Deed and Title Clinic with AARP Houston on Wednesday, June 12, 2019. The purpose of the clinic was to educate the community on what it means to legally own their homes and allow community members the opportunity to speak to lawyers for free help to resolve lingering legal issues with titles […]
Most home buyers have to have a mortgage to finance a home, however, there are alternatives: contracts for deed and rent-to-own agreements. Under a Contract for Deed, the buyer makes regular payments to the seller until the amount owed is paid in full or the buyer finds another means to pay off the balance. The seller retains legal title to […]
If you’ve received a surprise bill after a trip to an emergency room you thought would be covered by insurance, it’s a result of something called balanced billing. Balance billing occurs when an insured patient receives care from a physician, hospital or other health care provider, who is not part of a patient’s health plan provider network. The out-of-network provider […]
National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) celebrates the 14th annual Environmental Education Week this week, April 23rd – 29th, 2018. NEEF partners with a wide range of organizations to inspire educational learning and encourage stewardship of our essential resources: land, air, and water. Lone Star Legal Aid’s Environmental Justice team participates this year by sharing information about brownfields, a type of […]
March 11-17, 2018 is National Groundwater Awareness Week. With our commitment to a fair distribution of environmental benefits and burdens as well as equal protection from environmental hazards, we must spread the word about groundwater. According to Kevin McCray, Executive Director of the National Groundwater Association, “Some 44 percent of the U.S. population depends on Groundwater, the water that fills […]
Debt goes hand in hand with credit. When you borrow money to buy something, you have to pay it back. Once a creditor thinks you are no longer going to pay them, they can sell your account (or your debt) to a third party. Why would they do that? When they do, they get paid a smaller amount in exchange […]
Your credit score and the information on your credit report are important in determining whether you’ll be able to get a mortgage, credit card, auto loan or other credit. It also determines the interest rate you pay for such credit. What is a credit report? Your credit report is a statement or record that has information about your credit activity […]
March 4-10, 2018 is the Federal Trade Commission’s National Consumer Protection Week! In honor of such, we’ve come up with several consumer-related topics of interest. After all, we are all consumers. Whether you got a loan from your bank or you plan on executing a retail installment contract with your dealer, you must know to look for or […]
After a disaster, scammers, con artists, and identity thieves often attempt to take advantage of vulnerable survivors. Suspicion should rise if you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be FEMA when you have not applied for FEMA benefits or if you apply and are told you already have. According to the FTC, they’ve been receiving multiple complaints from […]
There are countless circumstances that can lead to homeowners falling behind on their mortgages. Hurricane Harvey has forced thousands of coastal Texans into financial hardship. When going through a hardship, homeowners might want to ask for a break from their lender and at that time, they could be offered a forbearance. What is forbearance? The definition of forbearance is an […]
Taxpayers who have received an audit notice from the Internal Revenue Service might be in luck if there are doubts about their liability or collectability. There are even other exceptional circumstances for the IRS to accept what is called an Offer in Compromise. Lone Star Legal Aid’s Low Income Taxpayer Clinic can help with this! What is an Offer in […]
Tax season may just be getting started, but tax scammers have been hard at work. In fact, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has gotten thousands of complaints about one kind of scammer in particular — IRS imposters. Here’s how they work: scammers posing as IRS officials call and say you owe taxes. They threaten to arrest or deport you, revoke […]