Mediation Center outlines housing-stability program, seeks early-intervention partnerships and tighter CAP coordination

The Community Mediation Center on Wednesday briefed the Cowlitz County Board of Commissioners on its housing stability program, which offers conflict coaching, referrals to services and conciliation or mediation to reduce unlawful-detainer filings and help tenants and landlords resolve unpaid-rent disputes.

Gina (surname not specified), program staff at the mediation center, described the program’s scope: it is open to anyone in Cowlitz County at risk of losing housing due to nonpayment or lease violations, and it acts as a neutral third party that does not provide legal advice or disburse rental assistance funds. Instead, the center provides communication coaching, conflict de‑escalation strategies, warm handoffs to local resources, screening for Lower Columbia CAP rental assistance, and conciliation or formal mediation in a subset of cases.

From the program’s July 2023 start through April (most recent data presented), staff said they logged 686 unique case addresses. Of those, 427 received conflict-coaching services, 47 received conciliation, and seven proceeded to mediation. The mediation center described conflict coaching as individualized counseling to identify barriers (for example, irregular income, transportation, or language), increase tenant–landlord communication, and help clients consider alternate plans such as repayment arrangements, roommates, or relocation when appropriate.

Program staff and commissioners discussed coordination with Lower Columbia CAP, which operates eviction-prevention rental-assistance funds. Gina said CAP is the primary financial assistance provider for eviction prevention in the county and that the mediation center is working to streamline referrals and improve the completeness of intake information before funds are passed to CAP to reduce processing delays. Commissioners and staff discussed the option of issuing an RFP to allow other providers to administer rental-assistance funds, if desired.

The mediation center recommended three immediate steps if the program continues: an early-intervention pilot to partner with landlords and property managers so tenants receive mediation-center contact information when pay-or-vacate notices are issued; a community-education program offering free trainings for landlords and property managers on communication and de-escalation; and continued, structured partnership with Lower Columbia CAP to ensure financial assistance aligns with dispute-resolution work and reduces bottlenecks.

Staff acknowledged operational challenges including language barriers for some Pacific Islander (Chuukese) speakers and said the center currently has Spanish-speaking staff and contracts with the ethnic support council for Chuukese interpretation; they are exploring periodic clinics for that population. Gina and Gail Bishop, the center’s housing specialist, said the center’s county funding comprises approximately 14% of the mediation center’s budget and is reimbursement-based (county reimburses allowable hours billed to the program). The panel also noted an anticipated state award in the consolidated homeless grant (an estimated contract award was reported and a June contract expected) that would fund eviction-prevention work and could include passthrough funding to the mediation center.

Commissioners praised the program’s outreach but asked staff to continue working with CAP to improve timeliness. No new county funding or formal contract was adopted during the meeting; staff said they expected a state contract and would develop any necessary passthrough agreements if funding is received.