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“In survival mode”: How some evacuees are still dealing with the dual challenge of a hurricane and a recession

by Juan Pablo Garnham Sept. 1, 2020

Many Southeast Texans were already struggling through a pandemic and its parallel recession. Then came Hurricane Laura and officials' evacuation orders. Full Story

Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune
This loan company was founded to help Latino immigrants. It has sued thousands of low-income Latinos during the pandemic.

by Kiah Collier, Ren Larson and Perla Trevizo, The Texas Tribune and ProPublica Aug. 31, 2020

A monthslong investigation revealed that Oportun Inc. routinely uses lawsuits to intimidate a vulnerable population into keeping up with high-interest loan payments — even amid COVID-19. Full Story

Credit: Pu Ying Huang for The Texas Tribune
Oportun Inc. has filed nearly 10,000 lawsuits this year against lower-income Texans. This is how we found out.

by Ren Larson and Kiah Collier, The Texas Tribune and ProPublica Aug. 31, 2020

Justice of the peace courts, where a majority of debt claims are filed in Texas, aren’t required to report case-level information. Here’s how ProPublica and Texas Tribune reporters got around it to reveal one company’s aggressive tactics. Full Story

Credit: Allie Goulding/The Texas Tribune
Nearly 600,000 Texans will lose access to a program that prevented electricity shut-offs during the pandemic on Oct. 1

by Trinady Joslin Aug. 27, 2020

Once the program ends, customers could be on the hook for partial back payments. Full Story

Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune
Still recovering from Harvey, Texans in Beaumont and Port Arthur are now preparing for a new hurricane during the pandemic

by Juan Pablo Garnham Aug. 26, 2020

Groups that have been fixing homes and providing assistance to victims of the 2017 hurricane are now getting ready to face a new disaster, with the added challenge of COVID-19. Full Story

Credit: USA TODAY NETWORK via Reuters Co
In Texas, the lowest-income workers don’t qualify for additional unemployment aid

by Mitchell Ferman Aug. 26, 2020

Nearly 350,000 Texans don't qualify for the extra payment because they either earned too little from the work they lost or didn't indicate on paperwork that they lost their jobs due to the pandemic. Full Story

Credit: Allie Goulding/The Texas Tribune
Analysis: Those aren’t just COVID-19 numbers. They’re Texans.

by Ross Ramsey Aug. 26, 2020

There are 347,700 Texans losing federal supplements to unemployment insurance. And 716,000 students getting laptops and tablets for virtual school. And 11,395 COVID-19 deaths. Each statistic has a human face. Full Story

Credit: Christopher Lee for The Texas Tribune
As eviction cases resume in parts of Houston, low-income Texans fear losing a place to live

by Juan Pablo Garnham Updated: Aug. 25, 2020

Since Gov. Greg Abbott declared a public health disaster in March, almost one-third of Harris County's evictions have been filed in the justice of the peace precinct covering the southwestern portion of the county. Full Story

Credit: Pu Ying Huang for The Texas Tribune
Nearly 350,000 unemployed Texans don't qualify for extra $300 weekly benefit

by Mitchell Ferman Aug. 24, 2020

Texans receiving less than $100 in weekly unemployment benefits do not qualify for the extra $300 weekly payments the Trump administration is distributing to Texas and other states. Full Story

Credit: Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via REUTERS
Texas students said pandemic-era tuition should be cut. But it’s going up at some schools due to distance learning fees.

by Raga Justin Aug. 24, 2020

Students grappling with financial upsets and a hurting economy say tuition should be lowered at their Texas universities. But some colleges are adding new fees related to an increase in distance learning. Full Story

Credit: Ben Torres for The Texas Tribune
Analysis: Austin’s police cuts give Texas Republicans new campaign material

by Ross Ramsey Aug. 24, 2020

Texas Republicans who were looking for fertile political ground in the runup to the November elections got a gift from a most unlikely source: the Austin City Council. Full Story

Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune
Out-of-work Texans could start seeing extra $300 in unemployment payments next week

by Mitchell Ferman Aug. 21, 2020

On Friday, federal officials gave Texas the green light to provide the additional payments. States can contribute another $100, but Texas does not plan to do so. Full Story

Credit: Allie Goulding/The Texas Tribune
Texas' July unemployment rate drops slightly to 8%

by Mitchell Ferman Aug. 21, 2020

With more than 10,000 Texans dead from COVID-19, economists have warned that until the state gets a handle on the pandemic, the economic recession will not improve. Full Story

Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune
With no end to the shutdown in sight, Texas bar owners and employees are on the brink of losing everything

by Reese Oxner Aug. 21, 2020

Some bar owners are planning to reopen in defiance of the moratorium, a desperate attempt to generate income — and draw Gov. Greg Abbott’s attention. Full Story

Credit: Christopher Lee for The Texas Tribune
UT-Austin students and employees urge officials to stop in-person classes, lower tuition and offer hazard pay

by Raga Justin Aug. 20, 2020

The Texas State Employees Union presented a petition that condemns the upcoming return to campus in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic as harmful. Classes start Wednesday. Full Story

Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune
Texas will apply for federal program to get extra $300 per week for unemployed Texans

by Mitchell Ferman Updated: Aug. 21, 2020

At least 10 other states have already applied and been approved for the additional unemployment benefits. Full Story

Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune
As the Texas restaurant industry struggles, so do farmers, truckers and others in the food supply chain

by Meena Venkataramanan Updated: Aug. 20, 2020

Economic experts say a slow recovery in the industry means problems will persist for the restaurant sector — and businesses in the supply chain on which it relies. Full Story

Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune
Jobless Texans still don't know if they will receive extra unemployment benefits

by Mitchell Ferman and Meena Venkataramanan Updated: Aug. 21, 2020

Confusion over unemployment relief in Texas has persisted since President Donald Trump took executive action in early August announcing an extra $400 weekly payment — but only if states administer the funds and chip in a quarter of the cost. Full Story

Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune
Democrats, local election leaders fear Donald Trump’s attacks on mail-in voting foreshadow voter suppression

by Valeria Olivares, Alex Samuels and Cassandra Pollock Updated: Aug. 14, 2020

Changes at the U.S. Postal Service have raised concerns about whether ballots will be delivered on time, but local officials and Democrats stress that mail-in voting remains a vital and safe way to cast a ballot. Full Story

Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune
Texas’ largest cities spend more on police than anything else. Activists want more of those funds spent on the social safety net instead.

by Mandi Cai and Juan Pablo Garnham Aug. 14, 2020

Austin officials slashed their police department's budget this week as other Texas cities are rethinking how general fund dollars are spent — and whether spending so much to combat crime addresses the poverty that can cause it. Full Story

Credit: Pu Ying Huang for The Texas Tribune