Author ORCID Identifier
The Housing Mediation Program (HMP or Program), administered by the Massachusetts Office of Public Collaboration (MOPC) at the University of Massachusetts Boston, remains a critical resource for addressing housing instability across the Commonwealth. By providing free mediation services to tenants and landlords1 at every stage of a housing dispute, the Program prevents evictions, stabilizes tenancies, and promotes constructive conflict resolution.
Established in FY2021 as part of the Eviction Diversion Initiative (EDI) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and coordinated through the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC), the HMP continues to operate due to sustained demand for housing stabilization services. Leveraging the expertise of 11 Community Mediation Centers (Centers), the Program delivers remote and in-person mediation while connecting parties to housing, legal, and community resources. It also fosters collaboration with housing counseling agencies, local housing authorities (LHAs), and other stakeholders. In FY2025, MOPC continued its partnership with MassHousing’s Tenant Assistance Program (TAP) to provide upstream mediation aimed at preventing housing crises before court involvement.
In FY2025, the HMP received 1,241 referrals, screened 1,201 cases, and opened 1,189 cases statewide. Mediation was provided in 374 cases across 401 sessions, resulting in 235 tenancies preserved and 75 housing subsidies maintained. Across 13 counties, Centers served 889 landlords and 1,140 tenants. These interventions generated an estimated $7 million in avoided shelter costs and $1.5 million in avoided trial-related costs and recovered rent, demonstrating the Program’s significant economic and social impact.
Document Type
Research Report
Publication Date
Spring 2-2-2026
Abstract
Mediation offers a flexible alternative to court for resolving housing disputes, allowing parties to address a wider range of issues and solutions without the delays and formalities of the judicial system. The Housing Mediation Program (HMP or Program) was established in FY2021 as part of the Eviction Diversion Initiative (EDI), a coordinated state and federal response to the housing challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Led by the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC), the EDI brought together housing agencies, Community Mediation Centers (Centers) through MOPC, and legal services to provide robust support for tenants and landlords.
The HMP was designed as a housing stabilization intervention that expanded community-based dispute resolution beyond court-based eviction cases to include upstream housing conflicts, creating earlier entry points to mediation. As services shifted to virtual formats during the pandemic, Centers adopted video mediation, a practice that continues today. MOPC and the Centers also invested in building upstream infrastructure to improve access to mediation before court involvement. Although the EDI concluded in FY2022, MOPC continued administering the HMP in response to ongoing housing needs.
In FY2025, MOPC allocated approximately $682,207 to support the HMP, including $550,000 in grants to 11 state-qualified Centers2 at three different funding levels based on service volume and staffing needs. These funds allow Centers to employ one or two staff to conduct outreach, coordinate remote and in-person mediation, and liaise with HMP partners. An additional $10,000 was spent on training, $5,000 on consultation services, and $117,207 on program administration and evaluation.
2 Community Dispute Settlement Center (CDSC), Collaborative Resolutions Group (CRG), Family Services of Central Mass Mediation (FSCM), Greater Brockton Center for Dispute Resolution (GBCDR), Middlesex Community College Law Center (MCC), Metropolitan Mediation Services (MMS), Mediation Services of North Central MA, Inc. (MSI), MV Mediation Center (MVMC), MetroWest Mediation Services (MWMS), The Resolution Center (TRC), and UpSide413 (U413).
MOPC also continued strategic partnerships to expand HMP services. In FY2024, MOPC launched a pilot with the Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency (MassHousing) to provide upstream dispute resolution through their Tenancy Assistance Program (TAP), aiming to stabilize tenancies and reduce onsite conflict. This partnership continued in FY2025. MOPC also continued working with EOHLC to find opportunities for housing agencies to leverage HMP
7 HMP Evaluation Report, MA Office of Public Collaboration, February 2026
services. This included delivering a housing mediation presentation for Regional Administering Agency (RAA) staff at an EOHLC-organized RAA Office Hours session and providing updated contact information for housing mediation coordinators. MOPC also supported regional and collaborative outreach efforts for Centers with common service areas or partners as well as met individually with some Centers to discuss and develop targeted outreach strategies as needed.
Throughout FY2025, MOPC and participating Centers focused on innovation, streamlining processes, and maintaining service quality. Monthly HMP learning community meetings allowed coordinators to share outreach strategies, troubleshoot challenges, and improve case management and survey administration. The monthly learning series for HMP mediators focused on developing housing-specific mediation skills through housing scenarios, case studies, and role plays, with particular attention to identifying underlying interests of landlords and tenants and recognizing mediator bias. Additionally, a summary process mediation training for experienced mediators was held in December 2024, with 21 participants from six Centers and MOPC staff for refresher and staff development purposes.
This FY2025 HMP evaluation report includes an Executive Summary, Introduction, Findings, Recommendations, Conclusion, and Appendices. The Executive Summary serves as a stand-alone overview, while the Introduction provides context. The Findings present data-driven results, the Recommendations identify opportunities to strengthen the Program, the Conclusion summarizes key insights and implications, and the Appendices include detailed quantitative and qualitative analyses aligned with the study’s research questions.
Community Engaged/Serving
Part of the UMass Boston Community-Engaged Teaching, Research, and Service Series. //scholarworks.umb.edu/engage
Recommended Citation
Palihapitiya, Madhawa and Zeferino, Karina, "Increasing Housing Stability Through State-Funded Community Mediation Massachusetts Housing Mediation Program FY2025 Evaluation Report" (2026). Massachusetts Office of Public Collaboration Publications. 46.
https://scholarworks.umb.edu/mopc_pubs/46
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Other Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons, Peace and Conflict Studies Commons, Policy Design, Analysis, and Evaluation Commons, Public Administration Commons
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