The Housing Mediation Project

Overview

The Blaine County Housing Mediation Project is a free program designed to help landlords and tenants resolve housing related issues before eviction becomes the only option. It provides a practical, confidential alternative to court, delivering better outcomes for both parties, without the cost, delay, or damage of formal legal action.

This initiative helps:

With trained, neutral mediators guiding each conversation, the program ensures a fair, efficient process. Agreements reached in mediation are honored 93 percent of the time, compared to just 37 percent of court-ordered judgments.

Mediation is not advocacy. Mediators do not take sides. Instead, they help both parties reach mutually acceptable terms that preserve dignity, accountability, and the possibility of resolution without escalation.

Want to Bring This Program to Your Community?

The Blaine County Housing Mediation Project is one of several successful community models we support. If you’re a city, county, or organization interested in implementing something similar, we can help you launch it.

Let’s expand access to smarter, science-backed housing solutions, wherever they’re needed most.

How It Works

During mediation, both parties meet with the mediator to discuss concerns and explore solutions and brainstorm beneficial options. The mediator works with the parties to create a mutually acceptable written agreement signed by both parties.

Landlord benefits

With pre-court mediation, landlords can:

Save time and money otherwise spent on eviction filing, legal, and court costs. Landlords tend to carry the burden of legal costs ($500+) and time spent in the process and recouping these costs from a tenant who is already facing financial challenges may be difficult.
Receive payment in the event of late or no-rent payment.
Minimize turnover costs and reduce vacancies.
Avoid the need to legally prove a case (37% of landlords are unsuccessful in court).
Reduce the likelihood of property damage through positive communication.
Refrain from being the "bad guy." Mediators can communicate some of the hard truths to tenants.
Use the written mediation agreement as evidence in court in the unlikely event the agreement is not complied with and eviction becomes inevitable.
Help reduce the cycle of homelessness thus lowering the burden on future landlords.

Tenant benefits

With pre-court mediation, tenants can:

Resolve informal evictions and prevent a formal eviction on your public record. An eviction on a tenant's public record m makes it extremely difficult to secure new housing.
Avoid the need for tenant legal representation in 97% to 98% of cases (Source: NeuroMediation Group).
Have a voice and brainstorm possible solutions.
Increase the likelihood that households can stay in their current housing and minimize disruption if displacement is unavoidable.
Experience a balance of power.
Better understand their options (both best and worst case).
Connect with resources to resolve or reduce the effects of displacement.

Take the first step toward lasting impact.

Whether you’re here to resolve conflict, transform communication, or become a certified expert in brain-based strategy, we’re here to help.