Collaborative Solutions for Housing-Related Conflicts
Transforming Tenant-Landlord Relationships
This innovative program utilizes skilled mediators with diverse backgrounds in landlord-tenant law, psychology, addiction, mental health and housing conflict to resolve disputes in affordable housing that can lead to eviction or homelessness. CIS started as a grant-funded project of the City and County of San Francisco in partnership with the Bar Association of San Francisco’s Bay Area Mediation Services Program.
Conflict Intervention Service (CIS) is a special unit of the Bar Association of San Francisco’s (BASF) nationally recognized, award-winning Lawyer Referral and Information Service.
CIS addresses diverse conflicts in housing, including: tenant-landlord, roommate, and other multi-party disputes; negotiation of lease buyouts; and Homeowners Association conflict in below-market-rent communities. Our interdisciplinary team of attorneys, licensed therapists, counselors and other professionals form the most experienced and adaptive team of housing conflict experts in the region.
In order to join the CIS team, conflict resolutionists must be certificated mediators with advanced training in negotiation, with demonstrated deep experience in two or more of these categories:
- San Francisco tenant-landlord regulations
- Case management in supportive housing
- Property management and leasing
- Tenant-landlord advocacy
- The role of behavioral health issues and substance abuse in conflict
Many members of the CIS team have experience in all these categories. Some are master trainers in mediation, California and San Francisco tenant-landlord law, the effects of illness and substance abuse on group dynamics, and the role of cultural differentiation in communication and conflict resolution.
Get in touch
To learn more about CIS, please contact us at cis@sfbar.org.
