Preserve Strong Communities with Housing Mediation

Gerald and Sebastian participated in mediation after it was recommended by the judge in their eviction case. They were both representing themselves in the court proceedings and were uncertain about what to expect from the mediation session.

When the men arrived on screen for their virtual mediation session, they were both incredibly relieved to have the support of the mediator. They had both struggled with the expectations of representing themselves in court. The filing process had been difficult for Gerald and Sebastian had been uncertain of the expectations by the court – was he allowed to appear in person, or did he have to use the computer?

The mediator recognized early in the session that both parties had a lot of questions about the process. The mediator could not give them any advice about how to manage the legal proceedings but was able to clearly explain mediation process and help them focus on the issues that had originally brought them to court.

Gerald had only been a landlord for a few years. He began renting his house out when his children grew up and he and partner downsized to a smaller home. Gerald had worked with 3 tenants but had never had to navigate the court system for an eviction matter.

Sebastian retired sooner than he had originally planned due to some health concerns. As a result, his income had decreased and over the past year he had been coping with unexpected expenses in the wake of the pandemic. Sebastian had not paid his full rent in over 6 months. Sebastian had also never been to eviction court before and was concerned about its impact on his credit.

The mediator led the parties into a focused discussion about their relationship as landlord and tenant and what they needed to be able to resolve things between them. Gerald was candid that he did not want to ruin Sebastian’s credit or make it hard for him to find housing, but he really needed Sebastian to move out of the house. Gerald had a potential buyer for the house but could not close on the deal until he could assure the buyer that the house would be empty. Sebastian was really distressed about his experience in virtual court and was really relieved to have a chance to talk to Gerald about what was happening. Sebastian was embarrassed about his inability to pay rent and shared that while he had hoped his circumstances would improve, he no longer expected an increase in his income.

The parties were able to come to a simple agreement that worked for them both. Sebastian agreed to move out in six weeks, which would give him time to find more affordable housing. Gerald agreed to forgive the unpaid rent and drop the case in court. As the mediation session ended, both Sebastian and Gerald thanked the mediator for the opportunity to connect and for the support the mediation provided. CCR staff submitted the agreement to the court and made sure they both knew when to appear for their next virtual court date. The parties left with a clear plan between them. Through mediation, both landlord and tenant were able to slow down, check in, and resolve their conflict in less than two hours.