It's estimated more than 2000 renters in Louisville face eviction, a process that can be difficult for renters and landlords.

But a new pilot program is attempting to resolve landlord tenant disputes through mediation.

When a tenant receives an eviction on their housing record, that limits their opportunity for stable and safe housing.

It makes it that much more difficult for them to secure a housing.

There's no eviction expungement law here in Kentucky.

Even if an eviction is dismissed, it is still on someone's record, their civil record indefinitely.

So what we're trying to do is head that off so that there's not even a dismissed eviction on someone's record.

There are a lot of programs, but very few mediations related to evictions specifically.

It started in April of 2023.

It's relatively new to the state of Kentucky.

Louisville Metro Government has contracted with an agency called Resolve Restorative Practices, and it is led by Shannon Floyd.

My background is in social work.

I'm a psychotherapist by trade.

So how I approach mediation would be different than the attorney led mediation board or retired judges led mediations because they come more from a legalistic standpoint.

It's the recognition that emotion plays a huge part in to conflict.

We're starting the program where landlords initiate it because we expect that there may not be as much interest from landlords.

There's a lot more interest from tenants.

So we have to have that landlord engagement for it to be successful and even to move forward.

Not all tenants you want to sever relationships with.

I had a particular tenant that I had that done great business with us, paid on time and then had a rough patch where he had some life life issues and I wanted to give him an opportunity to to make us whole by giving him some time in order to get caught up.

Once they submit a request for an eviction prevention mediation, mediator is assigned to them.

So within 2 to 3 business days they are contacted by that mediator, both the landlord and the tenant, who educates them on the process.

They have to complete a pre mediation assessment form both parties, and part of that pre mediation assessment form for the tenant is that they there's a link that they apply for rental assistance to the Office of Housing and Community Development.

Now, as far as the landlord, there's a section for the landlords as well where they agree not to file an eviction against that tenant until after the mediation process, not during.

What the regular eviction process.

There's no speeding up the process and you're kind of, you know, at the liberty of the court system.

So this it actually puts the control back into the landlord and the tenants because we can work it out, we can work it out before it actually gets to that point.

It's a real power in coming around that table in determining how this should the outcome should be, as opposed to having a judge.

Right.

Who isn't familiar necessarily with the individuals.

The dispute and parties are the situation, but there's some real power in there.

The power to decide for yourself.

Right.

And then once they sign off this mediation settlement agreement, again, mutually beneficial solutions to this this problem, I'm just simply facilitating this.

Right.

If they come to an impasse, I will offer like a different point of view.

I think it's worthwhile.

I think it helps both parties.

It gives them time actually, to to get back on their feet.

Resolve or Restorative practices.

36% of mediation sessions resulted in landlord tenant settlements.

The program is scheduled to run through June of 2024.