TRLA In The News - Q3 2025 by Texas RioGrande Legal Aid

INTHENEWS

Clínica ofrece ayuda para borrar registro criminal

PorTelemundoLaredoyErikaGonzálezDelToro

Publicado: 4 jul 2025, 12:48 GMT-6

LAREDO, Texas -Siustedoalgúnconocidosuyotieneensurécordalgúnantecedentepenalocondenapordelitomenor,Texas RioGrandeLegalAidestáofreciendounaclínicaduranteelmesdejulioygratisparalaspersonasinteresadasenborrarestetipo deantecedentedesuhistorial.

Parahablarnossobreestaclínica,nosacompañóenTelemundoentuCasa,elAbogado,IsraelReyna.

Derechos de autor 2025 KXNU. Reservados todos los derechos.

Laredo Laredo,,TX TX

 En Vivo En Vivo Noticias Noticias El Tiempo El Tiempo Deportes Deportes Cosas Por El Barrio Cosas Por El Barrio Telemundo En Tu Casa Telemundo En Tu Casa Enviar Fotos Enviar Fotos

ANUNCIO

TRLA to host expunction clinic for residents with criminal records

ByJustinReyes

Published: Jul 4, 2025 at 2:10 PM MDT | Updated: Jul 4, 2025 at 4:22 PM MDT

LAREDO,Tex (KGNS)-AlawﬁrmisoﬀeringLaredoanswithcriminalrecordsachancetocleartheirarrestrecords.

DuringJuly,TexasRioGrandeLegalAid(TRLA)ishostinganexpunctioncliniccampaigntoprovidefreeassistancetoindividuals whohavehadlegalissuesinthepast

Sincetheclinic’sinception,theorganizationhashelpedapproximately1,500peopleremovearrestrecordsrelatedtoassault,theft, andothercharges.

Laredo Laredo,,TX TX

IsraelMoralesReyna,anattorneywithTRLA,statesthattheclinicaimstoassistindividualswhomayhaverecordspreventingthem fromachievingsigniﬁcantlifemilestones.

Law Office Paul A. Hampel

Texas Parole Lawyer

“Youcangotocourt,andifyouqualifyfortheexpunction,youcangetit,andwhatdoesthatmean?Thatmeansthatyourarrest recordwillbasicallydisappearforever Destroyedfromthepublicvieworanybody Soyoucanactuallylegallysay,afterthat expunctionorderisentered,that‘No,Ididn’tdoit Ididn’tcommitthat,andIwasnotarrested’”Reynasaid

Individualsinterestedinthisprogramcancall(956)489-5099formoreinformation Dependingontheirqualiﬁcations,theymay havethechancetoaccessfreeservices.

Formoreheadlines,clickhere

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HILL COUNTRY FLOODS

Hill Country ﬂooding: Here’s how to give and receive help

Flooding in Central Texas and the Texas Hill Country has killed at least 119 people, with 161 still missing in Kerr County. Rescue crews are still searching for missing people as more rain is expected. Here is a guide on how to help those affected.

BY TEXAS TRIBUNE STAFF

JULY 5, 2025 UPDATED: JULY 8, 2025 SHARE

Sign up for The Brief, The Texas Tribune’s daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.

The Texas Hill Country is reeling after a devastating flood with a confirmed death toll of at least 96 people killed by the flooding in Kerr County and 161 people still missing, authorities said. Confirmed deaths in surrounding counties pushed the storm's overall toll to more than 119.

Rescue efforts are still underway as authorities search for 10 girls who went missing from Camp Mystic, a long-running Christian camp. With families turning to social media for answers, ofﬁcials warn the full scope of the disaster may not be known yet.

Regional National Weather Service ofﬁces have forecasted some “isolated to scattered showers and storms” in Central Texas for Wednesday, but most ﬂood watches and warnings have expired. Check forecasts and for any watches or warnings by looking up your city or zip code on the National Weather Service’s website.

As rescue efforts continue in Kerrville, questions are arising about how to assist those affected by the flood. Here is a guide on how you can help those in need, along with safety tips for dealing with flood warnings and what to do when you encounter flood waters.

Here's what you need to know

How to help Texans affected by the ﬂoods

How to get recovery assistance

Here’s what to do in case of ﬂooding:

How to set up emergency alerts

How to get mental health support

How to help Texans affected by the ﬂoods

Several organizations and businesses launched aid efforts over the weekend to help Kerrville and areas affected by ﬂooding.

Always double-check before donating to avoid scammers. You can look up nonproﬁts and foundations on Charity Watch and GuideStar for more information about them.

The Texas Attorney General’s Office also recommends that people Avoid wiring money or confirming personal or financial information.

Beware of text message solicitations and scammers that use fake names or numbers.

Visit www.TexasNoCall.com or call 1-888-309-0600 to put your number on the Texas Do Not Call Registry

Visit www.donotcall.gov or call 1-888-382-1222 to put your number on the National Do Not Call Registry

Aid efforts across the state

GoFundMe has set up a page featuring several fundraisers for Texas ﬂood relief.

H-E-B, which began in Kerrville, is taking donations in-store and online through their Spirit of Giving Fund. The company says 100% of donations will be donated to support ﬂood relief efforts. Customers in stores can ask to round up purchases or to donate a set amount of their choice.

JuiceLand will donate its net proceeds on Saturday, July 12 to the Kerr County Relief Fund.

Fort Worth-area Chef Tim Love is selling “Hunt Strong” hats online and said the proﬁts will go to grief counseling for those affected by ﬂoods and relief meals from World Central Kitchen.

Find more restaurants, bars and coffee shops doing fundraisers across the state on Eater Austin’s list.

The Texas Diaper Bank, a San Antonio nonproﬁt, said it is fundraising to help parents, children and seniors affected by ﬂooding. Online donations can be made here.

Kerr County and Kerrville relief efforts

In Kerrville, the local police department and some local groups say they are now prioritizing monetary donations. Kerrville police on Sunday said they did not need food or water donations at the moment, encouraging people to instead donate to the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund or sign up for a volunteer database in case of additional needs.

The fund was created by The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, a 501(c)(3) charity, that will be directing money to “vetted organizations providing rescue, relief, and recovery efforts as well as ﬂood assistance,” according to its site.

Kerrville police said Salvation Army Kerrville is the point of contact for a volunteer database and can be reached at tcr.communityos.org or by calling 830-465-4797.

Texas Firewalkers have set up a Kerr County Deployment fundraiser to help those affected. Texas Firewalkers are a volunteer-based non-profit disaster organization that aids families who have been displaced by residential fires. Donations will go towards hot meals and support for first responders.

Additionally, Southern Oaks Church is accepting gift cards and monetary donations for ﬂood recovery. You can donate online here. The church is sharing updates of the changing needs for volunteers on its Facebook page. You can sign up to volunteer here.

Operation BBQ Relief, a nonproﬁt founded by Kansas City pitmasters to offer meals after disasters, set up two locations to provide meals in Kerrville and takes donations and volunteers at OBR.org.

Americares, a health-focused nonproﬁt, said it was deploying an emergency response team to Kerrville to help restore access to health services and address urgent health needs in coordination with local clinics and partners. The nonproﬁt said donations to the Americares U.S. Disaster Relief Fund will support its response to this emergency. Visit americares.org/DisasterHelp to donate.

Travis County and Austin area aid efforts

A coalition of Austin-area organizations and activists led by Hands Off Central is focusing on needs, including housing, food, transportation and medical needs, not already being met by churches, local government and other assistance. Monetary donations can be made at fundly.com/july4ﬂoodtx, and businesses or organizations interested in offering resources can email president@handsoffcentraltx.org.

Other organizations who set up supply drives include Treaty Oak Distilling in Dripping Springs. They were looking for cleaning and recovery supplies, food and water, emergency supplies, personal hygiene products, tools and more. The distillery said they would resume taking donations on Thursday, July 10 from 12-4 p.m. Its address is 16604 Fitzhugh Rd in Dripping Springs.

TEXSAR, an Austin-based nonproﬁt specializing in emergency response, has deployed swiftwater rescue teams, boats, drones and search dogs to aid in the search for the missing. The group was aiming to raise $100,000 to sustain its efforts. Donations can be made online.

Waterloo Records said on Monday that it was helping Travis County ofﬁcials collect water donations. Bottled water can be dropped off at the front of their store at 600 N Lamar Blvd. Supplies like shelf-stackable snacks, ﬁrst aid items and hygiene kits can be dropped off at a back loading dock on 1105 N Lamar Blvd. They are also accepting cash donations at cash through their store registers.

Radio Coffee and Beer said it would be matching in-store donations up to $10k at all three of its Austin locations to beneﬁt the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund. It has three coffee shops and bars in:

South Austin (4204 Menchaca Road)

East Austin (3504 Montopolis Dr)

The Rosewood neighborhood (1115 E 11th St)

The Cupcake Bar posted on social media that they will be holding a donation-based garage sale, donating 100% of proceeds to relief efforts. They will be collecting food, water and hygiene items. They are also donating 100% of proﬁts from ready-to-ship gifts from their website. Find them from Tuesday, July 8 to Friday, July 11, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.. Local businesses who would like to participate can email info@thecupcakebar.com.

The following restaurants will donate all or some of their proﬁts on designated days to ﬂoodrelated aid efforts:

P. Terry’s proﬁts on Thursday, July 10 will go to Austin Disaster Relief

Kerbey Lane’s proﬁts on Thursday, July 10 will to the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund

Veracruz All Natural will donate its proceeds on Thursday, July 10 to the Kerr County Flood Relief

Find more restaurants, bars and coffee shops doing fundraisers across the state on Eater Austin’s list.

Several organizations, such as the Hays Co. Food Bank, are also holding benefit events in the coming days to support flood relief efforts. See a list of Austin-area benefits from Do512.

Areas of Williamson County, north of Travis, also sustained damage from ﬂooding. The county has compiled a list of recovery relief efforts for people to donate or volunteer. It includes the following:

Central Texas Community Foundation Wilco Cares Fund

City of Liberty Hill - Flood Disaster Relief

Hope House Support

Leander Chamber Foundation Local Flood Recovery

Williamson County Animal Shelter

Burnet County

The Ark of Highland Lakes, a faith-based nonprofit organization, is helping people in Burnet County, according to the county. The organization said it is taking volunteers to help feed flood survivors and workers in Marble Falls and Burnet and create muck-out teams to help with clean up efforts and provides longterm financial assistance to flood survivors. You can sign up to volunteer or donate here.

How to get recovery assistance

If you are impacted by a natural disaster, government services and community resources are available to help you with recovery.

Organizations like the American Red Cross, Salvation Army and local volunteer organizations can help you ﬁnd food, shelter and supplies, as well as assist you with clean-up efforts. Here are some local assistance options by area.

Kerr County and Kerrville

People in need of assistance to recover from Kerr County ﬂooding can go to the Kerrville Salvation Army’s social services ofﬁce at 855 Hayes St. or call 830-465-4797.

Operation BBQ Relief has recently provided free individual meals in Kerrville. Check their social media for the latest updates on free meal locations and hours.

Cross Kingdom Church in Kerrville has received many donations, and church ofﬁcials said people can come by and grab things like clothing, toiletries, paper goods, cleaning supplies, diapers and non-perishable food. Cross Kingdom. The address is 3044 Junction Hwy in Kerrville, and they are usually open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Updates can be found on their Facebook page.

For help ﬁnding a missing person, Kerrville police said to email kerrvillemissing@dps.texas.gov with the name and description of the missing person. Photos can also be included to help with identiﬁcation.

Travis County and Austin area

H-E-B began distributing free recovery kits, including water, snacks and ﬁrst aid kits, along with meals on Tuesday, July 8 in Leander and Liberty Hill. They will be at the following locations from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. until further notice, according to the Austin AmericanStatesman:

Leander: Round Mountain Baptist Church (14500 Round Mountain Rd.)

Liberty Hill: Liberty Hill Middle School (13125 TX-29)

According to Travis County, people in the community can call the Austin Disaster Relief Network (ADRN) Disaster Survivor Hotline at 512-806-0800 or 211 to be connected to volunteers. These volunteers can help with cleaning out homes, debris and tree pickup, and tarping. Travis County also says help from the American Red Cross is available at 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767). Read more from the county here.

Hands Off Central Texas is helping coordinate the Central Texas Mutual Aid Coalition. To request assistance, you can ﬁnd more information and submit a request form through the website www.handsoffcentraltx.org.

The following organizations are offering assistance to Williamson County communities:

Central Texas Community Foundation Wilco Cares Fund

City of Liberty Hill - Flood Disaster Relief

Leander Chamber Foundation Local Flood Recovery

Burnet County

H-E-B began distributing free recovery kits along with meals on Tuesday, July 8 at the Burnet Train Depot Parking Lot found at 401 E Jackson St. They will be there from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. until further notice, according to the Austin American-Statesman.

The Ark of Highland Lakes, a faith-based nonprofit organization, said it is offering food to flood survivors, first responders, recovery workers and volunteers in:

Marble Falls at a warehouse parking lot located on 800 Industrial Blvd

Burnet at the First Christian Church of Burnet Parking lot

Ark of Highland Lakes said it also offers cleaning support and long-term ﬁnancial assistance. Those in need can ﬁll out a help request form here.

How to request FEMA or insurance assistance

Texans who sustained damage caused by the storms are encouraged to report it through the Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool.The tool helps emergency management ofﬁcials understand the scope of the damage, which can inﬂuence emergency declarations and federal spending.

After a disaster, a state’s governor can issue a disaster declaration, asking the president to declare an emergency or major disaster, which then frees up federal funds to help those affected. The Federal Emergency Management Agency provides disaster assistance in these situations. President Donald Trump approved a major disaster declaration that will make federal aid available to the state, local governments, certain nonproﬁts and to individuals in Kerr County.

Before applying for assistance from FEMA, insured Texans should ﬁrst ﬁle claims through their existing policies. People cannot receive disaster and insurance assistance for the same damages. Doing so would be considered insurance fraud, according to FEMA.

If you need to ﬁle an insurance claim because your home or property was damaged, call your insurance company to report the damages and be ready to answer questions about how you were impacted. Be sure to take photos and videos to submit to insurance or FEMA and document damages for your records.

If you need help quickly, you can ask your insurance company about an advanced payment. If you aren’t able to live in your home after the disaster because of extensive damage, most policies will cover some housing costs, according to the Texas Department of Insurance, so be sure to keep your receipts.

If you need help ﬁling a claim, TDI has a helpline that operates Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time. Texans can call 800-252-3439 to ﬁnd out contact information for their insurance company and ask any questions about claims.

Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid is providing assistance to eligible Texans in Kerr County and the following counties included in the state’s ﬂood disaster declaration:

Bandera

Comal

Gillespie

Kendall

Kimble

Mason

Reeves

TRLA can help with the following:

Eviction or other housing-related matters

Probate

Replacing documents

Public beneﬁts applications or assistance with complications on eligibility due to charitable donations

FEMA applications or appeals for residents of Kerr County

TRLA can be reached at (956) 996-8752 or (833) 329-8752 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. You can also seek help at trla.org/disaster.

According to TRLA, it’s often a crime in Texas for lawyers or people representing them to contact disaster survivors for paid legal services. Flood survivors can report the name and number of unsolicited lawyers who contact them to local law enforcement or the State Bar at CDCinfo@texasbar.com or 866-224-5999.

The State Bar of Texas also offers a toll-free legal hotline to assist low-income Texans with issues like replacing lost documents, insurance questions, landlord-tenant problems, pricegouging or avoiding contractor scams following a natural disaster. Residents can call 800-5047030, which is answered in English, Spanish and Vietnamese. Those who qualify for assistance are matched with Texas lawyers who can provide free, limited legal help, according to the state bar’s website.

Here’s what to do in case of ﬂooding:

Follow evacuation orders from local authorities and take an emergency kit with you.

Avoid walking or driving through ﬂood waters. Just six inches of water can make a person fall, while one foot of water is enough to sweep up a vehicle during a ﬂood.

If flood waters rise around your vehicle, leave it and move to higher ground. If you are stuck in a flooded area, look for a higher space away from flood waters. Stay off bridges that go over fast-moving water. You can check for flooded or closed roads through the state’s drivetexas.org website.

Be careful in areas where ﬂood waters have receded and watch out for debris or electrically charged standing water. Stay away from all bodies of water and electric lines near you.

Shut off your home’s main circuit breakers to prevent appliance short circuits and the threat of electrocution.

Make a plan for your pets and take them with you in case of an evacuation.

How to set up emergency alerts

To know when a weather emergency is expected or to stay updated during a disaster, sign up for emergency alerts from your city or county. Residents can look up their county emergency management ofﬁce online to sign up for emergency emails and texts.

Texans who rely on electricity for medical reasons can apply for chronic conditions or critical care status, which provide extra notiﬁcations ahead of interruptions or suspensions of service. Applications have to be approved by a physician and submitted to the transmission and distribution utility that covers your address. The status doesn’t guarantee uninterrupted power, so if electricity is a necessity, make other arrangements ahead of a storm if possible.

Texans with disabilities or people who would require additional medical assistance during an emergency can also sign up for the State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry, a free system run by the state that gives emergency responders additional information about the communities they are helping in the aftermath of a natural disaster.

Major phone providers participate in the federal wireless emergency alert system, which enables federal, state and local authorities to broadcast alerts to mobile devices. Check the settings on your phone to ensure you have these alerts turned on. They are often labeled “Government Alerts” or “Emergency Alert Messages.”

If you need to ﬁnd community resources during a disaster, dial 2-1-1 or 877-541-7905 for information about resources including food, health, housing and more.

How to get mental health support

It is normal for people to experience shock in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. People like those with existing mental health conditions may see increased symptoms of stress. Others may focus on recovery and relief efforts but may feel symptoms of stress and trauma later on, according to experts.

Symptoms can include aches, trouble sleeping, changes in appetite, losing motivation, getting frustrated more frequently and feeling overwhelmed, sad, numb, lonely and physically or mentally drained.

Most emotional responses and stress symptoms are temporary, but if they persist for two weeks or longer, it is recommended to seek help. Signs of greater emotional distress can include feeling hopeless, feeling guilty without being sure why, having difﬁculty readjusting to home and work life, excessive smoking, drinking or drug use or thinking of hurting yourself or someone else, according to the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

SAMHSA runs the Disaster Distress Helpline, which provides support to people experiencing emotional distress related to disasters. The helpline operates year-round, 24 hours a day and is free and conﬁdential. You can call or text 800-985-5990 to be connected with a trained crisis counselor who can provide counseling, healthy coping tips and more information on signs of emotional distress. Crisis counselors can also provide local resources for additional support.

Trained crisis counselors are also available through the national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.

Read more tips about how to take care of your mental health during natural disasters here.

Disclosure: The State Bar of Texas has been a ﬁnancial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonproﬁt, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

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Texas Lawyers Mobilize to Support Flood Victims

JULY

8, 2025 |

KRISTA TORRALVA

ThelastweekendofJune,AmyOsteenpickedupher14-year-olddaughterand12-year-oldsonfroma MarbleFallscampintheTexasHillCountrywheretheyspentajoyfultwoweeks.

Aweeklater,torrentialrainfloodedtheGuadalupeRiver,killingyoungcampersinnearbyKerrville.The deathtollfromtheareastormshasexceeded100.

“Thethoughtthatwearejustoneweekaheadofthisfloodmakesmyhearttighten,”Osteen,whoisthe formergeneralcounselatRugDoctorandassistantGCatOrix,wroteonLinkedIn.

Determinedtouseherlegalpositiontohelpthoseaffectedbytheflooding,Osteenannouncedthather publicbenefitcompany,UnifiedLawGroup,standsreadytosupportnonprofitsandsocialenterprisesthat arehelpingthoseimpacted.

“Ifyou’reaTexas-basednonprofitorsocialenterpriseandneedlegalsupporttokeepdoingthework,please emailusat info@unified.law,”thegrouppostedtoLinkedIn.“Wecansupportyouinthebackground,with contracts,protections,andthetoolsyoumayneedtokeephelpingothers.”

Sofar,UnifiedLawishelpingtheTexasCountryMusicFestivalinGrueneonJuly15.Thespeciallivemusic concertisbenefittingthoseaffectedbythefloods.Thegroupispreparedtoacceptmoreclientsatnocostto them,Osteensaid.

“Ithinkthat[lawyers]areallsittingaroundgoing,‘Whatcanwedo?’”Osteen,whoisalsothecurrentGCat AlcatrazAI,told TheTexasLawbook.“Weareapublicbenefitcompanysothisiskindofwhyweformed.”

Texaslawyersare“eager”tohelp,StateBarofTexasPresidentSantosVargassaidinanemailtobar membersTuesdaymorning.TheBar“iscoordinatingwithlegalaidandprobonogroupstoassessthelegal needsonthegroundanddetermineareaswhereattorneysmaybeabletovolunteer,”Vargassaid.

“Aswithanynaturaldisaster,rightnowthesurvivorsarefocusedonfindingtheirlovedonesandother immediateneedslikefood,shelter,andclothing,”Vargaswrote.“Theirlegalneedswillbecomemore apparentinthedaysandweeksahead,andtheStateBarwillcommunicatethoseneedsasmoreinformation isavailable.”

DonationsmadetoVargas’existing “StandWithSantos”fundraiser throughatleastJuly31willbe earmarkedforlegalaidrelatedtotheflooding,hesaid.Santosstartedthecampaigntoraisefundsforcivil legalservicesforthepoorwhenheassumedthepresidencylastmonthandcalledithis“signature initiative.”

TheTexasRioGrandeLegalAidsaidit,too,wasassessingtheneeds. Thelegalaidorganizationishelping eligiblesurvivorsoffederal-declaredfloodsinKerrCounty,aswellasstate-declaredfloodsinBandera,

People react as they inspect an area outside sleeping quarters at Camp Mystic on Sunday (Photo by Julio Cortez/The Associated Press)

Comal,Gillespie,Kendall,Kimble,Llano,MasonandReevescounties.

“Themostaskedquestionrightnowis‘WhatcanIdotohelp?’”theorganizationwroteonLinkedIn.

LawyersareencouragedtovisitthevolunteerpageonTRLA’swebsite,whichcanbefound here.Monetary donationsmayalsobemade here.

“TheresponsetothisdisasterwillrequiretravelandlodgingcostsforstafftoattendDisasterResource Centersandotherrelatedcosts,”thelegalaidorgsaid.

OnMonday,BakerBottsmanagingpartnerDannyDavidsaidtheHouston-basedlawfirmhasmadea contributiontothenonprofitfirstresponderorganizationTexasSearchandRescue“toassistinits importanteffortsintheareaandhaveworkedtogetherwithourclientsandcolleaguestoassistineveryway wecan.”

TheTexasSupremeCourt,alsoonTuesday,issuedanemergencyorderstatingthatfloodingmayimpact courtproceedingsandthatdelaysormodificationsshouldbemade“wherereasonablynecessary.”

About65milessoutheastofKerrville,theSanAntonioBarAssociationisofferingitsmembercenterto impactedlawyerswhoneedtemporaryofficespaceorinternetaccess.Detailsonthatmaybefound here

Thestatebarpresidentalsosharedthefollowinglinksinhisemailtomembers:

The Texas Bar Foundation’s Emergency Disaster Relief Fund: txbf org/emergency-disaster-relief

The State Bar’s Pro Bono Texas: probonotexas org/

Other disaster relief resources for the public: texasbar com/disasters

Krista Torralva

Krista Torralva covers pro bono, public service, and diversity matters in the Texas legal market.

 View Krista’s articles

 Email Krista

Content of The Texas Lawbook is controlled and protected by specific licensing agreements with our subscribers and under federal copyright laws Any distribution of this content without the consent of The Texas Lawbook is prohibited

R.A.Schuetz, Staff Writer

SincetheNixonera,Congresshasfundedfreelegalaidforthosewithlowincomes

In1974,itcreatedanonprofit,theLegalServicesCorporation,tochannelfederalfundingtolocallegalaidnonprofits There, attorneysandparalegalshelpveteransapplyfordisability,domesticviolencesurvivorssecurechildcustodyandrentersstaveoff wrongfulevictions

Now,theWhiteHouseisurgingCongresstoshutdowntheprogram,alarmingthosewhobelieveitisnecessaryforjusticetobe accessibletopeopleofallincomelevels Thepresident’sproposedbudgetsayssunsettingtheprogramis“partofthe Administration’splanstomovetheNationtowardsfiscalresponsibilityandtoredefinetheproperroleoftheFederal Government”

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SuchamovewoulddrasticallyimpacteveryTexascounty,whichiscoveredbyeitherLoneStarLegalAid,TexasRioGrandeLegal AidandLegalAidofNorthWestTexas Thefederalfundingcoversalmosthalfoftheseorganizations’budgets,andexperts suggestthecutswouldlimitessentialservicestohundredsofthousandsofTexans.

JP COURTS:

MeetthepeopletransformingtwoHarrisCountyevictioncourtsintoresourcehubs

Leadersinthelegalaidcommunityfearthatruralareaswouldbehithardest,sincethefirstofficestoclosewouldlikelybeinless populatedregions Studiesovertheyearsalsosuggestthatwhenpeopledon’treceivelegalaid,theymayfaceadditional economichardships,suchasanincreasedneedforhealthcare

Currently,thebudgetforfiscalyear2026isbeingfinalizedinCongress,andpreliminarydiscussionsintheHouseandSenate appeardividedoverthefateoflegalaid

NeitherchamberhasgoneasfarastheWhiteHouseproposed WhiletheSenateAppropriationsCommitteevotedtokeep fundingfortheLegalServicesCorporationessentiallyflat,theHouseofRepresentativesAppropriationsSubcommitteehas proposedslashingitbynearlyhalf,to$300millionfrom$560million

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Thebudgetwillhavetomovethroughseveralmorevotesandroundsofnegotiationbeforeitisapproved.

NathanHecht,aRepublicanwhoservedasaTexasSupremeCourtjusticeforoverthreedecadesandchiefjusticefor11years untilearly2025,calledlegalaid“essentialtotheruleoflaw”

“Youcan’thaveapay-to-playjusticesystem,”hesaid “Youpromisejusticetopeople,andwhentheygettothecourthousedoor, youslamitintheirfacebecausetheydon’thaveenoughtobuyaticket?Theconceptofjusticeisthatit’sequaltoeveryone”

Whatislegalaid?

Take,forinstance,theexampleofHoustonianArlethaJoseph ShebelievedtheHoustonHousingAuthoritymadeamistakewhen itterminatedherhousingsubsidy,makingherunabletoaffordanapartment Theagencydeniedherahearing,soheronly avenuetoaddressthesituationwasthecourts

Butitwasn’tasthoughshecouldpayalawyer Astrokein2020hadleftherunabletocontinueworkingattheBurlingtonCoat Factory,courtrecordsshow;shewashomelessbeforereceivingahousingvoucher

ButasearchforresourcesledhertoLoneStarLegalAid,whichserveshouseholdsearninglessthan125%thepovertylinefor free.Alawyerhelpedhersue,andtheauthoritysettledwithoutadmittingguilt,restoringhervoucherandstability.

RESTORED VOUCHER:

HoustonHousingAuthoritytopay$10Kafteralawfirmusedfabricatedquotesinalegalbrief

In2023,legalaidorganizationsclosed60,000casesforlow-incomeTexans,accordingtotheLegalServicesCorporation Since manyofthosecasesinvolvefamilies,thosecasesbenefitedevenmorepeople 41,000veterans,12,000seniorsand20,000 domesticviolencesurvivors,alongwiththeirchildren

AndHechtexplainedthatlegalaidgoesbeyondthecourts Peopleoftenneedhelpwithbasiclegalissueslikeapplyingfor benefits HerecalledaKoreanWarvetwhohadamobilehomeontwolots Thevetcalledthecountyandaskedifhecouldgeta homesteadexemptiononthelots.Hewastoldhecouldhavetheexemptionononelot,butnottheother.

Butwhensomeonerecommendedcallinglegalaid,thelawyerknewhewasentitledtoanexemptiontobothandknewhowto explainittothecounty

“Ittookthelawyer15minutestotalktohimand15minutestotalktothecounty,”Hechtsaid “Andtheygothimtheexemption”

Historicallybipartisancause

Beforelegalaidbecameagovernmentfunction,certaincommunities,suchasNewYorkCity’sGermanImmigrants’Society startingin1876,wouldpooltogethertoprovidelegalservicestothoseinneed Suchorganizationshadlimitedresourcesand onlycoveredlimitedareas,andduringPresidentLyndonB.Johnson’sWaronPoverty,legalaidbecameaprongofthenewly establishedOfficeofEconomicOpportunity

Inthatprogram,legalaidlawyerstookonhigh-profilecasesinvolvinggovernmentagenciesandmajorbusinesses,andhelped createchangesinfederalhousinglegislationandlegislationprotectingfarmworkers Butthoselegalbattlesdrewapolitical backlash,andtheOfficeofEconomicOpportunitywasnotapriorityforthenextpresident In1974,CongresscreatedtheLegal ServicesCorporation Asanonprofit,itwasinsulatedfromtheWhiteHouse,andCongresscoulddecidewhattypesofadvocacy legalaidorganizationscoulddo

Sincethen,legislativebattleshaveeruptedoverthetypesofcasesthatlegalaidorganizationscanrepresent Forexample,when theLegalServicesCorporationwascreated,legalaidorganizationswerenotallowedtorepresentclientsoverschool desegregationorbeingselectedforthedraft Today,they’realsonotallowedtofileclassactionlawsuitsortoprovideinformation onhowtoorganizepolitically

Theprogramcurrentlychannelsmorethan$45milliontolegalaidinTexaseveryyear RonaldS Flagg,chiefexecutiveofthe LegalServicesCorporation,saidthat40%ofthefundingforLoneStarLegalAid,TexasRioGrandeLegalAidandLegalAidof NorthWestTexascomesfromthefederalprogram,withothermoneycomingfromstate,localandphilanthropicsources

HARRIS COUNTY:HarrisCountyawards$4Msolawyerscankeepgivingfreecounseltothoseindangerofeviction

“Anyorganization,ifyoulose40%ofyourrevenue,that’sgoingtohaveadramaticimpactonyouroperations,”Flaggsaid

TheLegalServicesCorporationhasputtogetheracalculatorestimatinghowmanypeoplewouldbeimpactedbydifferent-sized cutstotheprogram’sbudget Iftheproposed$300millionbudgetispassed,itprojectsthat224,000fewerpeopleinTexaswould behelpedeveryyear.

“Letmeputthatincontext,”hesaid “LegalaidorganizationstodayincludingthoseinTexas(already)turnawayroughlyhalfof theeligiblepeoplethatmakeittotheirdoor.”Tomeetthecurrentneedforlegalaid,thebudgetwouldhavetoincrease significantly

US Rep SylviaGarcia,aDemocrat,wenttolawschooltobecomealegalaidlawyerbecausehertimeasasocialworker revealedhowmuchhardshipwascreatedbyalackoflegalrepresentation

“Peoplebeingkickedoutofnursinghomesbecausetheydidn’tknowtheyhadtherighttoappeal,”shesaid “Goingthrough (domesticviolence)andeconomichardshipsbecausetheydidn’thavealawyertogetthatdivorceandgetthatprotectiveorder”

Asthehousedeterminesthefutureoflegalaid,shesaidshesupportedfundinglegalaidbecause“peopleneedaccesstothe courts.”

“IhaveaskedCongressionalappropriatorstoprotectfundingfortheLegalServicesCorporationandtoprotectfundingfor programsthatpeopleacrossourcommunityrelyon,”saidUS Rep LizzieFletcher,ademocrat,inanemailedstatement

SenatorsTedCruzandJohnCornyn,republicans,didnotrespondtorequestsforcomment

ThechiefexecutiveofLegalAidofNorthWestTexas,MariaThomas-Jones,saidherorganizationwouldface“harddecisions”if theLegalServicesCorporationlostfunding “Oneofthethingstolookatiswherewehavestaffandwherewecannolonger affordtokeepstaff”

“Ruralcommunitieswouldbehitthequickestandthehardest,”saidHannahAllison,directorofstrategicinitiativesatTexas RioGrandLegalAid

Shesaidtheimpactwouldnotonlybefeltbythepeopletheyservedirectlybutalsobythegreatercommunity Hernonprofit receivescallsfrompeoplewhosuspectsomethingiswrongbutaren’tsureofwhattodo,suchasveteranswhohavelosttheir benefitsandelderlyvictimsoffinancialfraud Iftheproblemisnotsortedoutbylegalaid,peoplecanbecomehomeless,endup needingmorehealthormentalhealthresourcesorleanmoreheavilyonotherpublicresources

“Legalaidispartoftheinfrastructureofallthesesocialservices,”Allisonsaid “Ifthatcogistakenout,youseethateverywhere”

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Bysigning up,you

July28 2025

LOCAL NEWS

Newcommunitycenterforphysical,behavioral, emotionalhealthopensinUvalde

Multi-Purpose Community Health Center opened on Monday

RebeccaSalinas, Digital Executive Producer

DanielaIbarra, Investigative Reporter

EddieLatigo, Photojournalist

Published: July28,2025at6:00PM

Updated: July28,2025at10:48PM

Tags: Uvalde,Health,MentalHealth

UVALDE, Texas – Uvalde marked the grand opening of a $16 million Community Health Development, Inc. (CHDI) Multi-Purpose Community Health Center on Monday.

The 16,181-square-foot facility was developed to expand resources supporting physical, behavioral and emotional health for the community in response to the 2022 Robb Elementary shooting.

Nineteen students and two teachers died in the tragedy.

The center will provide comprehensive healthcare services, and community support and outreach programs, including:

Seven primary medical care examination rooms

Three dental operatories

Behavioral health services via telehealth

Class A pharmacy with drive-up access

Medical laboratory

20 full-time employees, as well as rotating staff from other CHDI sites

150-person capacity community room

Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid oﬃce

Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Texas oﬃce space

College/job preparation training space for students

Tranquility garden honoring victims of the Robb Elementary shooting (in progress)

Oﬃcials hope the new health center will serve as a resource for Uvalde residents, addressing a broad range of health and wellness needs in one location.

“CHDI is the largest healthcare provider in the Uvalde region, serving 12,000 individuals in the rural area each year,” a ﬂyer states. “Founded in 1983, CHDI is now in the top 10% of health centers nationwide for best overall clinical performance. The new health center allows CHDI to expand on its commitment to bridging social, ethnic, and economic gaps to deliver highquality healthcare.”

It is located at 115 North Ham Lane in Uvalde.

P.S. — Legal Aid Expands Across Texas with Volunteers, Grants and New Talent

AUGUST 1, 2025 | KRISTA TORRALVA & ELLE GRINNELL

InthiseditionofP.S.,Texaslegalaidorganizationsrampupeffortstosupportcommunitiesaffectedby recentdisasters.TexasRioGrandeLegalAidiscallingonvolunteerlawyerstoassistfloodsurvivorsacross CentralTexas,whileLegalAidofNorthWestTexaslaunchesitsnewmobileunit,the“LegalAidExpress,”to deliveron-the-grounddisastersupporttoitsregion.SMU’sFirstAmendmentClinicreceiveda$3million endowmentfromtheStantonFoundation,withanadditional$2millionchallengegranttoexpanditspro bonoadvocacy.Meanwhile,17UniversityofTexasSchoolofLawgraduatesreceivedpublicinterest fellowships,enablingthemtoserveunderrepresentedcommunitiesacrossthecountry.Finally,Sidley Austin’sTexasofficescontributedtolocalhungerreliefeffortsaspartofthefirm’s“SummerofService” campaign.

Thenon-profitTexasRioGrandeLegalAidisurginglawyerstovolunteerforprobonoworkrelatedtothe catastrophicJulyfloodinginCentralTexasaslegalneedsarebecomingmoreapparent.

Thisweek,TRLAannouncedthatithasmobilizedmorethan1,000legalprofessionalstohelpflood survivorswitharangeofneedsincludingwithFEMAapplicationsandappeals,housingandlandlordissues, publicbenefitsproblems,probatemattersandreplacingdocumentssuchasIDs,birthcertificatesandsocial securitycards.

TRLA,whichcovers68countiesacrossSouthwestandCentralTexas,hasstaffedeverydisasterrecovery centerwithinitsservicearea,includinginKerrville,Burnet,Georgetown,HuntandLeander.

LawyerscansubmitanapplicationtobecomeaTRLAvolunteer atthelinkhere.Theorganizationprovides additionalvolunteerresources atthislink

LegalAidofNorthWestTexasUnveils“LegalAidExpress”toServeDisaster-Affected Communities

LegalAidofNorthWestTexasis takingitsservicesontheroad— literally.

Thenonprofitrecentlydebutedits mobileofficenamed“LegalAid Express.”Theofficeisdesignedto bringlegalassistanceto communitiesimpactedbydisasters acrossthe114countiesLANWT serves.

FundedbytheLegalServices Corporation,thevehicleisfully equippedwithtwoprivateofficesuites,printersandlaptops.Itisalsowheelchairaccessible.

“TheLegalAidExpressensureswecanmorerapidlyrespondtoadisasterarea,”LANWTCEOMaria Thomas-JonessaidinaLinkedInpost.“Thismobilevehicleisaninvaluabletoolforourstafftobetterserve peoplewheretheyare.”

StantonFoundationGives$3MtoSMULaw’sFirstAmendmentClinic,Plus$2MChallenge

SMU’sFirstAmendmentClinicannouncedthatitrecentlyreceiveda$3millionendowmentfromthe StantonFoundationtosupportitsmissionofprotectingfreespeech,afreepress,andothercoreFirst Amendmentrights.TheFoundationalsopledgedtomatcheverydollargiventoclinicoperationsbyDec.1, upto$2million.

Thegiftgoestowardthegoaloftheclinic’smissiontoprovideprobonolegalrepresentationaswellas equippinglawstudentswithvaluable,hands-onlitigationexperience.SincetheFoundation’sinitialgrant

ByDugBegley, Staff Writer

Aug

20, 2025

LOCAL // TEXAS

Debbie Sanderlooks atthe damageto hermother’s house in Ingram,Tuesday, July8, 2025 The housewas floodedwith

FederalofficialsareclosingtwoofthefourlocalofficesofferingaidtothoseaffectedbytheJuly4HillCountryfloods,leavingtwo officesopenasthousandswaitonaidclaimstobeapprovedandpaid

TheofficeinBurnetwillclosepermanentlyat7pm onThursday,accordingtoanewsreleasefromtheFederalEmergency ManagementAgency,whiletheKerrvilleofficewillbeshuttered at7pm Friday

TheclosuresleavetwoFEMAofficesopen inHuntandSanAngelo,downfromsevenonAug 13,whentheLeanderoffice closed TheofficeinGeorgetownclosedonAug 16andtheSanSabalocationshutteredAug 18

PeoplehaveuntilSept 4toapplyforaidaseitherhomeownersorrentersinBurnet,Guadalupe,Kerr,Kimble,McCulloch,Menard, SanSaba,TomGreen,TravisandWilliamsoncounties

TEXAS FLOODS FEMA CLAIM TRACKER: $26millionapproved,butconcernsmountingovergrowingdelays

AsofAug 16,residentsinthe10countieseligibleforaidhavefilednearly7,700applicationsforassistance,accordingtoa HearstTexasanalysisofpendingandapprovedclaims.Ofthose,about5,000havehadtheinspectionsneededtoassess damages 3,020havebeenapproved,eitherforassistancewithahomerepairorrebuild,orotherneedssuchasreplacing personalproperty

Toreceiveaid,however,advocatessaiditiscriticalpeoplehaveaccesstohelpwiththeprocess Inthecaseofsomeonewholost electricityandavehicletothedevastatingfloods,tellingthemtogoonlineorvisitaresourcecenterdozensofmilesawaymight keepthemfromaidtheyshouldreceive,saidMadisonSloan,directoroftheDisasterRecoveryandFairHousingProjectatTexas Appleseed.

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"Itisreallyimportantpeoplecanaccessthishelpwithin-personregistration,"SloansaidonAug 11,asgroupsbeganassessing howfastaidwascomingtoaffectedresidents

Variousgroups,includingTexasRioGrandeLegalAid,areworkingwithresidentstoassistapplications

IN-DEPTH: HillCountryCommunityFoundation's4employeesnowmanage$60Mindonations andasomberduty

DespitemuchoftheareaaroundtheGuadalupeRiverbeingdevotedtorecreationandgetaways,thevastmajorityofapplicants forfederalaidarereportingdamagetotheirprimaryhome.Oftheapplicants,95%listedthedamagedsiteastheirprimary residence About62%oftheapplicantswerehomeowners,withnearlyalloftheremainingapplicantssayingtheyrentthe propertybutexperienceddamagesintheflooding

Stateofficials,astheysupportedfederalreliefefforts,havealsocoordinatedcommunitysupportviaphilanthropyandprograms notcoveredbyFEMAaid OnWednesday,Gov GregAbbottannouncedstateofficialswillholdaneventAug 28aimedat recoveryeffortsforsmallbusinesses,aswellasdetailingmorerecoveryeffortswhenhevisitstheareaonThursday

"Ensuringsmallbusinessescanrebuildandreopeniscriticaltorecovery,"Abbottsaidinastatement

What Comes Next After Texas Hill

Country’s Deadly Flood?

The long road to recovery will be complicated as federal officials dismantle emergency management policy

By Amal Ahmed

September 3, 2025

As the July 4 central Texas floodwaters receded, the horrors started to set in.

Landowners in the rural, hilly region along the Guadalupe River began finding human limbs ripped apart by the violent waters At a public hearing convened by the state legislature, neighbors recounted driving on dangerous roads to help evacuate and rescue people as they waited for help.

By the end of the month, the official death toll of the floods climbed to 138 people— higher than that of Hurricane Harvey, a Category 4 storm that devastated Houston and southeast Texas in 2017. At least 27 girls, sent off to summer camp on the banks of the Guadalupe, were swept away by the rising floodwaters Some parents still haven’t recovered the bodies of their missing children

Now, Hill Country residents face the monumental task of rebuilding their homes and returning to some semblance of normal. It will take months, if not years, for the destruction left in the wake of the floods to fade away. But the process may be an indicator of what’s to come, as the current administration reduces the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s capacity and hints at pushing the entire response and recovery process onto local governments

So far, hundreds of FEMA employees have been fired over the past year, and others have been offered reassignments to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which is ramping up violent raids in communities across the country. In late August, dozens of FEMA employees were suspended after signing a letter that criticized the administration’s approach to disaster recovery and funding.

More than a month after the floods, the lack of boots on the ground is noticeable, disaster recovery advocates say Kristi Noem, the secretary of Homeland Security, delayed search-and-rescue teams from deploying to Texas for three days as she personally reviewed funding requests. Emergency call centers were unstaffed, and survivors’ calls went unanswered.

“One thing we used to see after disasters is that FEMA would go door to door in a disaster declaration area and check on survivors, and make sure they’ve applied for aid on time, and they get information about appeals, ” Brittanny Gomez, an attorney with Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, said “But FEMA is no longer doing that ” In rural areas, where cell service is spotty on good days, this has been crucial to getting survivors connected to help.

Further complicating matters, FEMA recently shuttered two of its seven disaster recovery centers, where survivors could go to find in-person help with aid applications and other assistance programs like housing and rental assistance.

“It’s concerning to me that foot traffic was low enough that FEMA’s like, ‘It’s not worth keeping this open,’” she said. It’s not necessarily an indicator that people don’t need help, but rather that there might be difficulties in accessing the centers, she added In the outskirts of Travis County, for example, survivors told TRLA that they couldn’t find

reliable transportation to the recovery center in Leander, a northwest Austin suburb. That center closed in mid-August, nearly three weeks before the aid application deadline

During previous disasters, FEMA’s long-standing partnership with the American Bar

Association provided legal aid lawyers like Gomez with some level of transparency and access to the agency’s regional staff. In March, the agency paused the partnership and froze all funding for the program, which had allowed pro bono lawyers to help survivors navigate the complex FEMA aid process. “You were able to get on weekly calls with FEMA reps and regional liaisons and ask them, ‘What’s going on? We’re hearing disaster recovery centers are closing,’” Gomez said Now, legal aid staff and other advocates are finding out in real time, with their clients, about major changes or updates to FEMA’s programs.

Even disaster survivors who were able to navigate the aid application process might now find themselves stuck in limbo. So far, nearly 8,000 households have applied for aid, according to public data. “They’re registering with FEMA, but those applications aren’t being processed further, ” said Maddie Sloan, the director of the disaster recovery and fair housing project at the research and advocacy organization Texas

Appleseed. “Folks aren’t getting a denial letter, but they’re also not getting approved. ”

Appleseed created a dashboard that tracks publicly available information on FEMA applications from the region. So far, only 40 percent of applications have been approved. In some counties, like Kerr County, that rate has dipped to 18 percent. “People may not even know if their applications are being processed, but we don’t know why that’s happening,” Sloan said

This short-term FEMA assistance is typically meant to help homeowners repair homes so that they’re safe to live in gutting moldy walls and floors, for example. According to Appleseed’s database, most homeowners who applied for aid did not have property insurance. Only 3 percent had a flood insurance policy. More than half reported making less than $60,000 a year.

Cash-strapped households often find themselves taking on debt just to move their belongings to storage while they rip out moldy drywall and flooring themselves, said Zoe Middleton, an associate policy director at the Union of Concerned Scientists

Those costs don’t begin to factor in more expensive mitigation measures, like elevating homes in flood plains to prevent future floods. Typically, that’s where longer-term funding, like Community Development Block Grants, might help survivors access funds to rebuild homes funds that Congress appropriates months or even years after a disaster Recovery funds for disasters in 2023, for example, weren’t approved until late 2024

These long delays can create conditions ripe for displacement and climate gentrification. In Hawai'i, where devastating wildfires hit in 2023, Honolulu Civil Beat

reports that a third of all homeowners before the fire no longer own their properties

“Housing markets move fast, and private investment and capital flow quickly in the intervening time,” Middleton said. If a resident can’t pay their mortgage, private equity

firms are poised to swoop in and flip homes, reselling them for a premium. Hill Country

residents expressed that fear in the public hearings just weeks after the floods.

“The longer people have to wait for help, and the less help they get, the more likely it is that they will be permanently displaced, ” Sloan said

Under the current administration, it’s also an open question of whether, and how much, long-term federal funding will come down the pipeline at all In recent months,

FEMA has rolled back its hazard-mitigation programs including funds that were

already approved but not yet distributed. Trump has attempted to rescind the Building

Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, which he had signed into

law during his first term. That grant, along with the Flood Mitigation Assistance fund, which has been around since the 1990s, funded proactive projects ranging from basic flood control upgrades to property buyouts in flood zones

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According to the Urban Institute, a policy research organization, canceling just these two grants could equate to $3.3 billion of lost funding for climate resilience. The institute’s analysis finds that Texas stands to lose $74 million in BRIC funding that had already been approved. Without federal support, Texas’s entire emergency management system could fall apart at the seams Local fire departments and emergency management training are funded by federal dollars, for example

Cities and counties often receive matching funds from FEMA to build crucial infrastructure and climate resilience projects that might otherwise never get built, ranging from drainage improvements to developing hazard mitigation plans. In Kerr County, local officials were denied FEMA grants for upgrading an aging flash flood siren system precisely because they lacked such a plan.

“We need to get every county—big or small—ready for extreme weather, ” Middleton said “There should be reliable mechanisms in place for funding and supporting resilience and mitigation ”

The state’s current Republican governor, Greg Abbott, has not signaled a willingness to expand state funding to support disaster survivors, advocates say. Since 2021, over $177 million of taxpayer funds have been diverted to Operation Lone Star, the governor's push to secure the state’s southern border; he secured another $12 billion in federal reimbursements through the Trump administration’s signature budget bill this year

In the weeks after the flood, Abbott attended private benefit concerts, posing for photos as he handed flood survivors $25,000 checks

Abbott has also called a special session to address the flooding, but tied it to passing new district maps that would increase Republicans’ hold on congressional seats. “You see a willingness to use disasters as a political wedge, a way to exert control rather than honor a duty of care,” Middleton said.

In early 2025, the Biden administration’s Department of Housing and Urban

Development determined that the state government’s previous allocations of Harvey recovery funds discriminated against communities of color and urban areas impacted by Harvey and favored wealthier, whiter, and rural counties that had sustained less damage during the hurricane.

Abbott’s cozy relationship with Trump may have softened the blow for ordinary

Texans, allowing some federal resources to still flow to the state. An analysis by KUOW, in Seattle, found that 10 states with Democratic governors have asked for disaster declarations to access federal aid Trump has denied six of those requests Meanwhile, 14 out of 15 Republican governors’ disaster declaration requests have been approved

In Maryland, flash floods in May destroyed more than 200 homes and damaged public utilities and roads. The administration denied the state’s request for assistance, even as damage estimates topped $15 million.

“It should be an open-and-shut case that everyone gets to recover, ” Middleton said. “But we’re really, really far away from that.”

Amal Ahmed is a journalist based in Dallas, covering climate and the environment. Previously, she was a reporter at the Texas Observer, and a fact-checker at Texas Monthly.

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WASHINGTON — Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1) and Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-5) co-hosted an event on disaster legal aid on September 11 at the U.S. House of Representatives. In their capacity as co-chairs of the House Access to Civil Legal Aid Caucus, Reps.

Fitzpatrick and Scanlon held the event, “Rebuilding Lives: Legal Aid’s Role in Disaster Recovery,” in conjunction with the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), the nation’s largest funder of civil legal assistance.

Attendees heard how federal funding supports legal assistance for Americans who have survived natural disasters and encounter legal problems in the recovery process, but who are unable to afford an attorney.

Executive directors from three LSC-funded legal services organizations in Louisiana, North Carolina and Texas spoke on a panel moderated by LSC Board Vice Chair Father Pius Pietrzyk.

“The Legal Services Corporation, being a national entity, has been able to convene a lot of players in disaster recovery — to bring them together with the legal services folks to allow [these communities] to know each other and to work together to help the survivors of disasters,” said Pietrzyk.

Since 2013, Congress has enacted Disaster Supplemental Appropriations that included funding for LSC to fund recovery efforts after significant natural disasters. For the past ten years, LSC has distributed disaster funds as grants to nonprofit legal services organizations serving low-income Americans in disaster-stricken regions. LSC was not included in the most recent Disaster Supplemental, which was attached to the Fiscal Year 2025 Continuing Resolution in December 2025 for disasters that occurred in 2023 and 2024.

Ashley Campbell, executive director of Legal Aid of North Carolina (LANC); Laura Tuggle, executive director of Southeast Louisiana Legal Services (SLLS); and Robert Doggett, executive director of Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA) participated in the panel.

Doggett discussed TRLA’s recent work responding to the July 2025 flooding in central Texas. TRLA has prior disaster response experience from Hurricane Harvey and Winter Storm Uri, and the organization is applying these lessons to its response to the devastation brought on by the floods.

“We have a disaster team, and that’s all they do full-time because, frankly, there is always something happening or about to happen, and cases that they still have to resolve,” said Doggett. “We have to be ready when things happen.”

There are many legal issues after disasters that people do not expect and are not aware that they will need an attorney’s help to address, Doggett explained. These include replacing legal documents like the title to their house, or addressing child custody matters when one parent moves because their home was destroyed. But, he said, it doesn’t happen all at once.

“Some of the [legal] issues start to develop months later sometimes years later and it takes a long time to figure them all out,” Doggett said. “We still have cases that have been around for several years after a disaster.”

Since Tropical Storm Helene hit North Carolina almost a year ago, LANC has helped many families in complex legal situations after their homes were destroyed, Campbell said. She told the story of one client who lost both his wife and his home during the storm. He was struggling to access his wife’s life insurance benefits, which he needed to care for their son. LANC helped him secure those funds and also assisted with his FEMA application and home insurance claim. The client wanted to move away from the site of his tragic loss, Campell explained, but he also needed to avoid a foreclosure on his home, which would ruin his credit.

“For him, turning the property over to the mortgage lender was a good result, [and] we were able to get the lender to take that insurance money, take the land back, satisfy the loan, and he was able to move on,”

Campbell said. “Then finally, we were able to do a new will for him so that he and his son would have security.”

Campbell said that a common legal issue after disaster is heirs' property — when a family member has inherited a home, but there is not proper legal documentation of their ownership.

“Then a disaster strikes and they realize, ‘Oh my goodness, I actually own this property with my six cousins,’” said Campbell. “So, we have to help homeowners resolve those problems, and they’re really complex legal problems that only a lawyer can resolve.”

Louisiana commemorated the 20 anniversary of Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2025. Since then, the state has experienced several other significant storms, including Hurricane Ida in 2021, which was the seventh most damaging hurricane in U.S. history.

Tuggle said that SLLS has handled 6,372 cases from Ida thus far. SLLS has tracked the economic benefit of their work from things like the FEMA assistance and insurance payouts that they have helped people in southeast Louisiana access and it has exceeded $47 million.

“The human impact – it's very difficult to measure that,” Tuggle said. “So, we are definitely tracking [the economic benefits of] that work and being able to make a huge difference in the lives of the people we serve.” th

Tuggle explained that after disasters, SLLS spends a lot of time helping seniors with heirs’ property issues, insurance, accessing recovery assistance, bankruptcy, scams and fraud. Often, she explains, people are experiencing several of these problems at once.

To close the event, LSC shared a video, telling the stories of three disaster survivors who turned to LSC-funded legal services for help. More information about disaster legal services can be found at LSC.gov/disaster.

Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is an independent nonprofit established by Congress in 1974. For more than 50 years, LSC has provided financial support for civil legal aid to low-income Americans. The Corporation currently provides funding to 130 independent nonprofit legal aid programs in every state, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories.

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