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Mediation center outlines housing-stability program, recommends early intervention and deeper partnership with rental-assistance provider
Summary
The Community Mediation Center presented two years of data and recommended expanding early intervention, landlord education and stronger coordination with Lower Columbia CAP for eviction-prevention funds; the board said it expects to continue funding subject to contract approvals.
The Community Mediation Center told the Cowlitz County Board of Commissioners it has handled roughly 686 housing-stability cases since July 2023 and urged the county to fund an early-intervention pilot, expand landlord education and strengthen coordination with rental-assistance administrators to reduce unlawful-detainer filings.
Gina of the Community Mediation Center told the board the program helps tenants and property managers resolve unpaid-rent and lease-violation issues through conflict coaching, referrals, conciliation and mediation. "The housing stability program works with landlords and property management companies and their tenants to resolve issues of unpaid rent with the goal of improving communication between the parties and reducing instances of unlawful detainers being filed with the court," Gina said.
The center reported that, of 686 address-level cases handled between July 2023 and April (most recent data presented), 427 were conflict-coaching cases, 47 were conciliation cases, seven were mediations and 54 reached the mediation/conciliation stage. The center said most contacts are conflict coaching (helping tenants develop communication, budgeting and problem-solving strategies) and that mediation/conciliation — while time-consuming — is highly effective and could scale with additional resources.
Recommendations included an early-intervention pilot modeled on the City of Bellevue program (in which the center would partner with landlords so tenants receive mediation referrals immediately when pay-or-vacate notices go out); a community-education program offering free training to landlords and property managers on communication and de-escalation; and continuing the center’s partnership with Lower Columbia CAP for rental-assistance funds while improving the handoff process to reduce bottlenecks.
County staff said they expect an upcoming state contract and that federal/state passthrough funds have supported eviction-prevention work in prior biennia; the center noted that county funding currently reimburses about 14% of the center’s budget for the program. A county staff member said the county had received an estimated state award that could include $8 million or more for homeless services in the next biennium and that a formal contract should be available in June.
Commissioners asked about language-access services; the center said it has a Spanish-speaking staff member and uses the Ethnic Support Council and other partners for Chuukese translation and outreach. Staff and commissioners discussed the state’s recent rent-control and eviction-prevention funding changes, and commissioners asked for an itemized allocation of large state contracts when available.
The board did not take final action on funding during the meeting; county staff said they will return with a pass-through contract for the center if the county’s state contract is finalized.
