News and stories about our work to protect and advance the civil legal rights of low-income Texans.
In 2020, Congress passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), part of which continued Medicaid benefits for those already enrolled, regardless of any changes in eligibility. That continuous Medicaid coverage ended on March 31, 2023, and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) began disenrolling recipients in May. HHSC began sending recertification letters to all Medicaid recipients […]
UPDATE 📢 The rental assistance events planned for this Saturday have been cancelled as the Texas Rent Relief program is closing its application portal today, Thursday, March 16th, at 11:59 PM. Again, today is the last day for tenants to apply for rent and utility assistance. Houston, TX – The Texas Rent Relief Program will be accepting new applications. […]
Since the early days of the pandemic, childcare has been a prominent issue for both families and the industry. In Texas, 25% of all childcare centers closed in 2020, and millions of families have adjusted to this change through efforts such as homeschooling, private care, and online education. This Tuesday, the Harris County Commissioners Court has voted on a $26.2 […]
Jim Bradson is a Navy veteran who relies solely on his Social Security Retirement (SSR) income. During the pandemic, he became indebted to four companies, including the e-commerce company, PayPal. Bradson was already in settlement repayment with the other three companies when he received notice that PayPal sold his debt to a collections company, which then filed a lawsuit. Bradson […]
On August 24, 2022, the 46th Administration officially announced a final extension to student loan payments and forgiveness for federal student loan debt of up to $20,000. In the month since, more information has been provided to explain who qualifies and how to claim relief. Student loan payments can be deferred until December 31, 2022. Payments will resume in January […]
Jane Fields was a tenant at the same apartment complex for eleven years. Like most Texans, she was unprepared for the obstacles the pandemic created, and often, she felt like she was a paycheck away from homelessness. Remaining hopeful, she eventually obtained assistance from Texas Rent Relief, which sent money for past due rent directly to her landlord. These funds […]
Janelle Grant, a US Air Force Veteran, ended her duty and started working at a medical temp agency shortly thereafter. Ms. Grant had to take a leave of absence due to medical conditions complicating her pregnancy. Her employers knew of her pregnancy and its induced medical conditions. Once she was back at work, she was sent out on a brief […]
Gregory, a Houston father, contracted COVID-19 and then his family’s life took a turn for the worst. Gregory lost his job due to contracting the virus, his landlord illegally locked the entire family of their home for not being able to come up with enough money to pay the rent, and they had no medical coverage. Gregory could not work […]
The rise in recent school shootings Mass school shootings are a traumatic event that can potentially trigger mental health disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in people who were directly impacted by a violent threat such as a school shooting. Studies show that adolescent trauma has more lifelong effects on young people with developing brains. This causes them to […]
Texas families with students who previously qualified for Pandemic Food Benefits (or the P-EBT Card) should check their balance for a recent rollout in funds for the summer of 2021. Eligible families should have already received $375 per child. These benefits act as SNAP benefits. Who is eligible? Children who are certified for free or reduced-price meals through the National […]
The rise in recent school shootings Mass school shootings are a traumatic event that can potentially trigger mental health disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), in people directly impacted by a violent threat, such as a school shooting. Studies show that adolescent trauma has more lifelong effects on young people with developing brains. This causes them to struggle […]
The Texas Rent Relief portal is closing on Friday, November 5, 2021 at 5:00 PM, affecting all new applications. Local rent relief may still be available in some areas. Due to the total requests for assistance now exceeding all Texas Rent Relief funds available, the program is closing its application portal to new applications and additional funding requests on Friday, […]
Eulise, uncle to Jose, became Jose’s caretaker in February while still receiving Medicaid and SNAP benefits under the parent’s household. The uncle, Eulise, reapplied for Jose’s Medicaid Benefits, disclosing he was the caretaker of the child, and was then denied benefits. At thirteen, Jose lived with his father for a while until he contracted Covid-19 in 2020, and then they […]
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is providing almost $294 million in emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food benefits starting in October, as the state continues its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The allotments are expected to help more than 1.4 million Texas households. HHSC received federal approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to […]
Each year, on October 10, individuals and organizations join the global movement to raise awareness about mental health. Since the Covid-19 pandemic emerged, mental health conditions have been rising across all demographics. By raising awareness, we can fight the stigma, provide support, and educate the public. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the nation has witnessed a significant increase in […]
Lone Star Legal Aid is a strong supporter of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. In this blog, you will find common topics relevant to advocating for domestic violence survivors, such as safety planning and prevention for those who are or know anyone living with an abusive partner, knowing how to be safe while using the internet if you are in a […]
23-year-old Houston nanny Madeline Lofland lived by herself in an apartment co-signed by her mother. As many others did at the beginning of the pandemic, she found herself out of work and used her savings to fully cover rent for five months. In the fall, however, her savings ran out and her unemployment expired. Paying her monthly rent of $936 […]
Since the early days of the pandemic, federal assistance has been available through official channels for people who are eligible. However, many fraudsters have also taken this opportunity to exploit those in need by setting up COVID phishing campaigns that target users via email, text messages, social media posts, and webpages. A phishing scam is an attempt to trick someone […]
A month before its intended expiry date, the CDC eviction moratorium was suspended by the Supreme Court, leaving tenants vulnerable to homelessness. Over 11 million renters have had trouble paying rent on time during the pandemic as unemployment blanketed the nation. The temporary halt on evictions did not absolve renters from the responsibility of paying the entirety of their owed […]
Richard, 64, and his siblings, inherited the father’s home in 2018 along with roughly $9000 in past due property taxes including penalties and interest. After their father’s passing, Richard moved into the home, maintaining the property and paying the bills which included making payments towards the taxes. When the Covid pandemic hit, Richard had trouble keeping up with the payments and with the threat of foreclosure looming, he sought relief in the form of a loan to pay […]
