The COVID-19 pandemic devastated and continues to impact communities across the County of Los Angeles County (County). While the pandemic has impacted every County resident one way or another, certain communities have been disproportionally impacted. This includes low-income people; Latino, Black, Indigenous, Native American, and API individuals; English Language Learners; LGBTQ individuals; and people with disabilities. These historically disadvantaged communities are in dire need of assistance to resolve COVID-19 related disputes including, landlord-tenant disputes, credit card bills, payday loans, personal loans, and medical debt. The Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA) Mediation for Landlord/Tenant and Other COVID-19 Related Disputes project centers around building the capacity of Dispute Resolution Organizations (DROs) to provide free to low-cost mediation services to the unserved and underserved populations listed above, with a particular emphasis on low-income tenants and small landlords. At the onset of COVID and the resulting shut downs, DCBA received an increase in mediation requests to assist in resolving disputes and noticed the types of issues shifted to reflect the impact COVID-19 had on the economy. This program will focus on helping those that live in locations most impacted by the negative effects of COVID-19 with resolving COVID-19 exacerbated issues relating to landlord-tenant disputes and other COVID-19 related disputes, such as credit card bills, payday loans, personal loans, and medical debt.
The California Dispute Resolution Programs Act (DRPA) of 1986 funds statewide mediation programs through the collection of fees for certain court filings. In Los Angeles County, DRA funds support nine dispute resolution organizations (DROs) through the Los Angeles County Dispute Resolution Program (DRP). The DCBA oversees the DRP; a proven, well-established, and effective alternative to costly and lengthy court proceedings. This will help County residents and businesses mediate disputes.
This ARP funding will infuse DROs with much-needed financial support to provide mediation services to traditionally underserved and disproportionally COVID-19 impacted communities mentioned above. Specifically, this program will mediate 1,148 cases involving landlord-tenant disputes and other COVID-19 related disputes, such as credit card bills, payday loans, personal loans, and medical debt.
This project will also fund administrative and staff costs to develop and implement this project, incurred from August 2021 through the conclusion of the project.