A statewide pre-eviction mediation program for landlords and tenants has shown success so far.
Launched in February, the two-year pilot program requires participation in a mediation process before eviction for non-payment of rent.
“It's about an 85% rate of written agreements between landlords and tenants — payment plans that pay landlords and keep tenants housed, and that's exactly what we would hope would happen,” said Tracey Wiltgen, administrator for the state’s contract with Mediation Centers of Hawai’i to provide the services.
“So we've been very happy with the outcome. We've received positive feedback from landlords and tenants,” she continued.
Tenants must respond within 10 days of the landlord’s notice informing them of the opportunity for mediation. If tenants don’t choose to participate, landlords can move forward with eviction filings.
The early mediation services are designed to help resolve housing disputes before eviction occurs.
“By talking early and addressing the situation early, tenants and landlords [are] able to understand where each other's coming from, what the circumstances are, and work out payment plans,” Wiltgen explained. “In addition to the high rate of agreement, those tenants that do move out, the landlords are giving them a fairly long period of time.”
Wiltgen said nearly 400 cases have been mediated in the past four months, out of more than 800 eviction notices filed. Some of those have been resolved independently, and in about 200 cases, the tenants have not taken advantage of mediation, which is free.
“It is important to get the word out about the program, because there are still a high number of tenants who aren't responding,” Wiltgen told HPR. “So we still have our work cut out for us to help educate tenants that this is an important opportunity, and they need to take it.”
Mediation offices or remote services are available on every island. Eviction notices are processed through a centralized website — mediationcentersofhawaii.org — and all parties are notified.
This initiative builds on the success of similar past programs during the COVID pandemic and in the wake of the Maui wildfires, which showed similar 80 to 90% agreement rates.
