For The Public

Flood Relief Resources

The State Bar of Texas has established a legal hotline — (800) 504-7030 — to help people find answers to basic legal questions and connect them with local legal aid providers following recent flooding and other severe weather in Texas. The hotline — answered in English and Spanish — is designed to connect low-income persons affected by the disaster with local legal aid providers that can help with such issues as replacing lost documents, insurance questions, landlord-tenant issues, and consumer protection issues such as price-gouging and avoiding contractor scams in the rebuilding process. Callers can leave a message any time. People who qualify for assistance will be matched with Texas lawyers who have volunteered to provide free, limited legal help.

The State Bar of Texas is helping to connect attorney voluteers to service opportunities. If you are an attorney who wants to volunteer, please fill out this online survey form.

When disasters strike Texas, the State Bar of Texas serves as a clearinghouse for disaster response resources for the public and attorneys. Please be aware of the resources listed below. They can help you prepare for, survive, and recover from a disaster. For additional resources, please visit www.texaslawhelp.org.

Governor’s disaster declaration 

Gov. Greg Abbott has declared a state of disaster in 70 counties, including: Angelina, Archer, Bastrop, Blanco, Bosque, Bowie, Burleson, Caldwell, Cass, Cherokee, Clay, Collin, Comal, Cooke, Denton, Dewitt, Eastland, Edwards, Ellis, Fannin, Fayette, Gaines, Garza, Gillespie, Grayson, Grimes, Harris, Harrison, Hays, Henderson, Hidalgo, Hill, Hood, Houston, Jasper, Johnson, Kaufman, Kendall, Lamar, Liberty, Leon, Lynn, Madison, Milam, Montague, Navarro, Newton, Nueces, Parker, Real, Red River, Refugio, Rusk, Sabine, San Jacinto, Smith, Travis, Tyler, Uvalde, Van Zandt, Victoria, Walker, Waller, Wharton, Wichita, Williamson, Wilson, Wise and Zavala. Read the Governor's declaration.

Public Resources

Texans who sustained property damage as a result of the ongoing severe storms and flooding are urged to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as they may be eligible for federal and state disaster assistance. People who had storm damage in Harris, Hays, and Van Zandt counties can register for FEMA assistance online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or via smartphone or web-enabled device at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 800-621-3362 (TTY) 1-800-462-7585from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Flood survivors statewide can call and report their damage to give the state and FEMA a better idea of the assistance that is needed in undesignated counties.

  • Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is warning Texans of the risk of fraud and common scams in the wake of the severe weather. Consider the following tips when selecting businesses or contractors to help in the clean-up and rebuilding process.
  • The Austin and Hays County Bar Associations and Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA) have partnered to offer free legal clinics for victims of the Memorial Day floods. The free clinics are offered 3-7 p.m. Monday-Friday at St. John’s Catholic Church, 624 E. Hopkins, San Marcos, TX  78666. Once the more immediate legal issues have been resolved, the daily clinics will be replaced with daylong clinics on Saturdays for as long as needed. Other resources available for flood victims can be found on the Austin Bar website at austinbar.org.
  • The Texas Consumer Complaint Center at the University of Houston Law Center is offering legal assistance to those affected by recent flooding. People needing help with a legal issue stemming from the flood may file a form with the Texas Consumer Complaint Center at texasccc.com, or call 877-839-8422.
  • Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas operates a centralized intake and advice hotline, which runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday (closed between noon and 1 p.m.) at 1-888-529-5277 as well as a disaster hotline where messages may be left any time at 855-548-8457.
  • The IRS has a list of 10 tips for deducting losses from a disaster, which can be found at irs.gov.
  • The American Red Cross has established a Web page for individuals in impacted areas. This resource helps individuals communicate their safety and wellness to family and friends.
  • The American Red Cross has also opened shelters across Central and South Texas for people impacted by severe weather and flash flooding. Get a list of shelters. For Red Cross disaster assistance, call 1-877-500-8645.
  • U.S. Sen. John Cornyn is keeping an updated page of Texas flood resources

Attorney Resources

Central Texas
  • The Austin Bar Association (816 Congress Ave., Suite 700) is offering temporary office space to displaced Central Texas attorneys. Call (512) 472-0279 for information. 

Volunteer Opportunities

  • Members of the Austin Bar Association are working to organize relief efforts. If you are an attorney or paralegal who would like to volunteer with a legal hotline or to help at a free legal clinic in Hays, Bastrop, or Caldwell counties, please contact Amy Welborn, awelborn@chmc-law.com.

Weather safety tips

Federal and State Relief Resources

Federal Resources 

Flu.gov

1-800-232-4636

Federal Emergency Management Agency

1-800-621-FEMA (3362)

Federal Disaster Assistance Process for Individuals

1-800-462-7585

Department of Homeland Security

202-282-8000

Government Benefits Search

1-800-333-4636

Administration on Aging

202 619-0724

Dept. of Health and Human Services

1-877-696-6775

Center for Disease Control

1-888-246-2675

Small Business Administration

1-800-659-2955

Texas Resources 

State of Texas

(877)452-9060

Texas Emergency Preparedness Resources

Texas Division of Emergency Management

Office of the Attorney General Consumer Protection

(800)621-0508

Texas Department of Insurance

(800)578-4677

Texas Department of Health and Human Services

(877)541-7905

Texas Rural Mediation Services

(866)329-3522

2-1-1 Texas Information and Referral Network

(877)541-7905

Non-Profit Agencies 

American Red Cross

1-800-HELP-NOW

Salvation Army

1-800-SAL-ARMY

Missing Persons Registries

1-866-GET-INFO

United Way

1-800-833-5948

Legal Resources 

State Bar of Texas Legal Disaster Hotline

(800)504-7030

The State Bar of Texas (800)204-2222
State Bar of Texas Lawyer Referral & Information Services (800)252-9690
Lawyer Referral Service of Central Texas, Inc. (866)303-8303
Dallas Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service (214)220-7444

Houston Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service

(713) 237-9429

TexasLawHelp.org - Online resources, including free and low-cost civil legal assistance in Texas, self-help resources for legal problems, and where to find legal aid  

Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas

(855)548-8457 

Lone Star Legal Aid

(800)733-8394

Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid

(866)757-1570

ABA Division for Legal Services

(866)606-0626

National Disaster Legal Aid website

The Centers for the Law and Public's Health

Pandemics: Preparing Businesses for a Global Outbreak (pdf article) (D. Benson & A. Paterra, South Carolina Layer, July 2009)

Psychological & Counseling Resources 

Phases of Traumatic Stress Reactions in a Disaster
www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/pages/phases-trauma-reactions.asp

American Red Cross
www.redcross.org

Salvation Army
www.salvationarmyusa.org

Texas Department of State Health Services

Disaster Mental Health Services

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