Mediation help is now available to Hoosier landlords and their tenants at risk of eviction, free of charge from the Indiana government.
Both the landlord and renter must agree to the mediation. And the goal is to keep eviction cases out of the courts whenever possible.
Potential settlement outcomes can include payment plans and back payments – but they can also involve eviction. Still, Chief Justice Loretta Rush said keeping the matter out of court can be beneficial.
“Without legal cost and also the stigma that comes along with having an eviction,” Rush said.
Having an eviction court filing on your record can make it harder to find housing in the future.
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The third-party facilitators available through the program are registered mediators, attorneys and judges who are provided training, resources, and compensation.
People can request mediation at courts.IN.gov/facilitate.
The state previously provided a rental assistance program, which gave partial rent support to those in need if their landlords agreed to participate. More than 30,000 people signed up; the program closed Wednesday.
A national housing stability organization estimates as many as 720,000 are at risk of eviction.
Contact reporter Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.
