Owner-Tenant Mediation Program

Purpose

The purpose of the Owner Tenant Mediation Program is to provide alternate dispute resolution to landlords and tenants in the City of Rochester to resolve their disputes before they reach court. Alternate dispute resolution includes mediation and informal intervention.

What We Do

We provide negotiation, intervention, and/or neutral mediation resulting in formal or informal agreements that resolve disputed housing issues.

Frequent issues involve the following:

• Security deposits
• Code violations
• Release of Lease obligations
• Rent disputes
• Repairs
• Inappropriate behavior
• Harassment complaints

Who Qualifies for the Program

• Tenants who reside in the City of Rochester, New York who fall within the Section 8 income guidelines.
• Landlords who own property in the City of Rochester, New York whose tenants fall within the Section 8 income guidelines.

How to Apply for Services

Call 585.232.4090 to apply.

Applicants must provide financial and other personal information in order for us to determine eligibility. Applicants will be screened over the telephone and may need to come into the office for a personal interview.

How to Find Us

Address and map

Additional Information

There are times when disagreements between tenants and landlords escalate to the point where the parties involved can no longer effectively communicate with each other. At those times, it may seem like the only way to deal with the situation is to take it to court.

Mediation and alternate dispute resolution are options to consider before you go to court.

What we mean by mediation:

Mediation is an informal conference where disputing parties resolve their issues by satisfactory compromise. Sometimes agreements can be facilitated over the telephone, the mail, and fax.

Some of the benefits of Mediation:

There is no need to hire an attorney.

 

There are no court costs, service fees, or attorney fees.

 

The outcome of the case is controlled by the involved parties.

 

Mediation is private and confidential.

 

All parties will receive a written summary of their agreement for their records.