Preserve Strong Communities with Housing Mediation

Javon and Mario came to mediation with the Center for Conflict Resolution after Javon filed an eviction case against Mario in court. The judge set a trial date for them, but the parties requested an opportunity to meet with a mediator first.

In mediation, Javon explained that he was at the end of his rope. He had rented an apartment to Mario, his wife, and their four children for the last three years. Over that period of time, Javon and Mario had become friends. Mario had even invited Javon’s family to a birthday party for his daughter last year. Unfortunately, over the past few months, things began to change.

Mario’s grandmother had been ill and he asked Javon if she could stay with them. Javon said yes. Then Mario’s sister-in-law got divorced and need a temporary place to stay until she got on her feet. This time, Mario didn’t ask. There were now seven people living in an apartment built for four.

The relationship between Javon and Mario became strained and tense. When Javon found out about Mario’s sister-in-law, he was upset but didn’t say anything. In August, Mario was late with the rent. In September, he wasn’t able to pay at all. By October, Javon knew he had to kick his friend out or potentially face a whole winter with a tenant who wasn’t paying.

As the mediation began, Javon told Mario that he would drop the money he was owed if Mario would move by the end of the month (about two weeks away). Mario shook his head and said he would need at least sixty days to move. At this point, the mediator began asking them some questions that helped them explore what was really important to them and prioritize those needs.

Javon relied on the rent from the unit to pay his mortgage. He owned the four-unit building, renting out three units and living in one himself. The neighbor below Mario’s unit was threatening to leave because of the noise from above now that there were so many people living there, and Javon certainly couldn’t afford to lose two paying tenants.

Mario’s hours had been cut at work, and he was trying his best to care for his needy family. His sister-in-law hadn’t been able to find a job or a place of her own yet. Even though he knew he couldn’t afford the rent at Javon’s, he was having a really hard time finding a place that would accommodate seven people on his budget. He really didn’t want to put his friend in a bind, but didn’t have any other options.

With the mediator’s help, they realized that neither wanted their current situation to stay the way it was and they had to make a change. They began to focus on a plan for Mario to move out and for Javon to have some certainty as to when he could get a new tenant in. Once the mediator had guided them through expressing the reasons behind their actions, they were quickly able to reestablish enough trust to try negotiating again.

Ultimately, Javon was willing to let Mario stay for another forty-five days without paying any new rent, but with a payment plan for the already past due rent. Now Javon would be able tell his other tenants that he had a solution to the noise problem. Mario was happy to agree to this since it would allow him to keep saving up money for a new place and have some more time to find a big enough place. It also made a way for him to commit to paying his friend back and regain some of his lost pride.

As they left, both men were obviously relieved and grateful, thanking the mediator that they didn’t have to come back to court, and that they had a plan that would meet their needs while salvaging their friendship.