Staging Website
This page is connected to a test database. Data is not necessarily up-to-date and could be wiped out at any time.
Evidence matters. Find policies, programs, and systems changes that are a good fit for your community priorities.

Housing mediation services

Evidence Rating
Strategies with this rating have limited research documenting effects. These strategies need further research, often with stronger designs, to confirm effects.
Disparity Rating
Likely to decrease disparities
Community Conditions
Housing and transportation
Authors
Lead: Jessica Solcz
Contributor(s): Alison Bergum
Acknowledgements: Lael Grigg
Date Last Updated
July 27, 2016

Housing mediation services facilitate mediation between tenants and landlords to resolve conflict and prevent eviction. Often provided through housing counseling agencies, local consumer agencies, or small claims court advisors, services are available to all renters and landlords, but are most often used by renters with lower incomes.

What could this strategy improve?

Expected Benefits

Our evidence rating is based on the likelihood of achieving these outcomes:

  • Increased housing stability
  • Reduced homelessness

What does the research say about effectiveness? -+

There is insufficient evidence to determine whether housing mediation services increase housing stability and reduce homelessness. Available evidence suggests that participation in mediation through housing courts may help preserve tenancy (Burt 2007); however, additional evidence is needed to confirm effects.

Implementation Examples -+

Basic mediation services are available in most states. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development provides local information for all 50 states about rental assistance, including housing counseling and mediation services (US HUD-Renting).

Many non-profit organizations provide housing mediation services, often along with other housing supports. Some examples include Dane County, Wisconsin’s Tenant Resource Center and California's Project Sentinel, which provides services in English and Spanish (TRC, Project Sentinel).

Implementation Resources -+

CA DCA-Mediation - California Department of Consumer Affairs (CA DCA). Local dispute resolution programs: An alternative method of resolving complaints without having to go to court.

MSU-Resource guide - Michigan State University (MSU) College of Law. Tenants and landlords resource guide: Information for tenants and landlords about their rights and responsibilities in rental relationships.

NHLP-Help for tenants - National Housing Law Project (NHLP). Help for tenants, homeowners, and homeless people.

Citations -+

* Journal subscription may be required for access.

Burt 2007 - Burt MR, Pearson C, Montgomery AE. Community-wide strategies for preventing homelessness: Recent evidence. Journal of Primary Prevention. 2007;28(3-4):213-28.

Project Sentinel* - Project Sentinel. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency: Providing housing solutions and community mediation since 1976.

TRC - Tenant Resource Center (TRC).

US HUD-Renting - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (U.S. HUD). Local renting information.

WAM - Wisconsin Association of Mediators (WAM). Promoting and developing the use and practice of collaborative conflict resolution through mediation.