Well, the time has finally come. As of July 1, 2022, California’s state-wide eviction moratorium protections have ended. With few exceptions, this leaves many landlords the opportunity to regain possession of units, and for the tenant, an uphill battle in resolving back owed rent and potentially needing to find new housing. The scenario is really stressful, expensive, and complicated for both landlords and tenants. Here is some important information and suggestions to help you move forward in this process.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been federal, state, and local eviction moratoriums. They have been ever-changing and overlapping in some circumstances, leading to a lot of confusion—particularly in California. One thing is becoming clear though, the end of all protections is near. Both residential and commercial landlords and tenants have some unpleasant business to attend to, and mediation can help them do it at the lowest cost and greatest benefit!

Many people hear that mediation can be a fraction of the cost of going to court and are skeptical, or may not understand how that could be possible. While there are certainly some situations where mediation makes less sense, there are many more reasons that support the use of mediation in a wide range of scenarios.

Sometimes a dispute will settle in a way that is a little surprising. One party may accept an offer relatively early on in negotiation talks, or at a point that comes unexpectedly. This is not always a result of inexperience in negotiation, but of a conscious decision to move on and focus efforts elsewhere.