free help in East Hawai'i - For landlords & tenants
The FREE Landlord Tenant Eviction Mediation Program can help you negotiate:
- payment plans for back rent,
- plans for rent going forward,
- applying for rental assistance together (landlords can only receive rental assistance if tenants still reside in the unit),
- move out options, and/or
- other agreements that support the needs of both landlord and tenant.
Mediation is safe, private, and you make your own decisions.
Mediators are impartial and help you negotiate.
The state eviction moratorium ended on August 6, 2021.
Landlords may send a 15-day notice to tenants starting:
- on August 7, 2021 if tenants are 4 months behind in their rent
- on September 6, 2021 if tenants are 3 months behind in their rent
- on November 6, 2021 if tenants are 2 months behind in their rent
- on January 6, 2022 if tenants are 1 month behind in their rent
The new law (House Bill 1376, now Act 57) states that tenants must be offered the opportunity for mediation when they are served with an eviction notice for non-payment of rent.
Mediation must be scheduled within 15 calendar days of the notice.
However, the mediation does not have to occur within the 15-day scheduling period.
Landlords
If your tenant lives in East Hawai'i, you must at the same time provide the 15-day notice (to evict for non-payment of rent) to us via landlordtenant@hawaiimediation.org
- On the same day, you must immediately email us the 15-day notice you provided to your tenant.
- Once we receive the notice, you will get a reply email confirming receipt and asking for you to complete our short landlord intake form (please see below).
TENANTS
If you live in East Hawai'i and receive a 15-day notice from your landlord regarding eviction, please contact us right away at (808) 935-7844 ext. 8 or landlordtenant@hawaiimediation.org
- To initiate mediation services, we can do an intake with you over the phone or you can use our online intake form below.
- You have 15 days from the notice to work with us to schedule a mediation (however, the mediation does not have to occur within the 15-day scheduling period). Call now!
Frequently Asked Questions
Mediation is an informal, confidential process in which an impartial third party — the mediator — helps people:
1) Talk through their differences,
2) Explore and negotiate options, and
3) Craft agreements that are fair, realistic, and durable.
Mediation is voluntary and requires flexibility. The mediator ensures a safe and respectful process for everyone involved.
- Mediations will be held remotely via Zoom (except for limited in-person cases). You can Zoom from your laptop, tablet, or smart phone.
- If you are not able to Zoom from your location, you may come to our office to use our equipment.
- Once your mediation is scheduled, we will email you a confirmation of the date, time, and Zoom link.
- All mediations are by appointment only.
- We are open Monday to Friday, except holidays. Some evening and Saturday mediation times may also be available.
- Once your mediation is scheduled, we will email you a confirmation of the date, time, and Zoom link.
- Plan for up to 1.5 hours for your mediation session.
- Before mediation, you will sign a Mediation & Confidentiality Agreement (sent to you via email for digital signature).
- The confidentiality agreement states that the mediation discussions are confidential and cannot be shared in future legal proceedings.
- Only those who have signed the confidentiality agreement are allowed to be in the room with you while you mediate.
- We need to know in advance who will participate in mediation.
- Only those who were pre-approved by the mediation center may participate.
- If you have special needs or will be bringing an attorney, case worker, or interpreter, please let our office know as soon as possible.
- Most of our clients successfully participate in mediation without an attorney.
- If you have an attorney, you may include them in the mediation but it is not required.
- You can contact your attorney by phone at any time during the mediation.
- You can also show a draft of any agreement to your attorney before signing.
- If you don’t have an attorney, but need some free legal help, visit our Resources/Links page
- Be on time (click the Zoom link at least 5-10 minutes early).
- Keep an open mind and be willing to seek a solution.
- Behave respectfully towards all.
- Participate honestly and with good faith.
- Tell your story for others to hear.
- Listen to others’ stories, without interrupting.
- Seek first to understand, and then to be understood.
- Consider realistic resolutions that work for everyone.
- Be open to a negotiated agreement, with compromise.
- Commit to the process with patience and cooperation.
- After mediation, we will email you a copy of your written agreement, if there is one.
- We will also email a disposition letter stating the outcome of mediation (whether or not a mediation session was held; whether or not an agreement was reached; whether or not we have closed your case file).
