Demand for legal help after Harvey spurs bar association to extend free service

Floodwaters from the San Jacinto River in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Harvey surround condominiums on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in Kingwood. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle ) Floodwaters from the San Jacinto River in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Harvey surround condominiums on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in Kingwood. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle ) Photo: Brett Coomer, Staff Photo: Brett Coomer, Staff Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Demand for legal help after Harvey spurs bar association to extend free service 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

When the Houston Bar Association launched a free legal help line shortly after Hurricane Harvey came ashore, it planned to man the phones for just a month.

But after logging 1,700 calls, the local bar association decided to extend the daily two-hour window of free legal aid for a second time, to Friday, Oct. 27. The free service is staffed with volunteer lawyers.

Landlord/tenant questions are some of the most common, said association spokeswoman Tara Shockley. Tenants call to ask if they have to continue paying rent if they can't live in their flood-damaged apartment —the answer typically depends on what the lease says about habitability —while a frequent question from landlords is about how to make repairs while tenants are still occupying the units. Other common questions revolve around insurance claims and how to get help from FEMA.

Each day between five and 10 lawyers staff the phone lines between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., said Shockley. For lawyers who don't have a lot of experience with real estate, consumer or insurance law, the association has compiled legal resources to help them answer questions.

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To reach the legal line, call 713-759-1133 or toll-free at 1-866-959-1133.