Conflict Resolution: Re-Imagining St. Louis

I thought I knew it all...

Over 30 years in the housing industry taught me that you learn something new every day. Each week brought with it new challenges and surprises. Some, more difficult than others. I used to dedicate an inordinate amount of time to resolving interpersonal disputes between my tenants and even my employees. These disputes took so much of my time. But what choice did I have? Who else would be the voice of reason when my tenants were fighting? How was I supposed to resolve my employees’ disputes AND grow my business? There were simply not enough hours in the day to do it all. Enter the Conflict Resolution Center-St. Louis (CRC-STL), a nonprofit organization that provides dispute resolution services to landlords and property managers. About a year ago, I joined the CRC-STL team, bringing my past landlord experience and perspective. I’ve now seen firsthand just how much dispute resolution benefits tenants and even the smallest landlord. I only wish that they were around when I was a property manager.

Our History

CRC-STL was founded in 2017 in response to the unrest in Ferguson, in an effort to support the citizens and businesses of St. Louis City. In 2020, at the height of the pandemic, we launched the Eviction Prevention Mediation Program. To ensure families can stay in their homes and their landlords were not unfairly penalized, we mediated conversations between tenants and landlords to discuss rent, payment plans, rental assistance opportunities, the safety of the units and more. In addition, in some cases, we were able to provide rental assistance to ensure agreements succeeded. We work to bring our communities together. Our mediation services are provided to St. Louisans to address a wide variety of disputes from barking dogs to accusations of police misconduct.

regarding rental arrears, evictions or lease terms. What We Do

Through mediation, consultation, and education, CRCSTL can help with a variety of disputes: • Workplace Disputes (employee/employee, employee/ supervisor, business/business) • Landlord/Tenant Disputes (payment plans, repair plans, structured moveout, applications for rental assistance, etc.) • Neighborhood and Community Disputes (barking dogs, noise complaints, parking disputes, etc.) • Citizen/Police Disputes, and More! Before CRC-STL, what I thought I knew about mediation revolved around custody discussions during my divorce. I didn’t know mediation was a tool for regular folks and businesses to resolve conflicts in a confidential setting, avoid costly litigation, and guarantee accountability. Boy, do we need that today. Sometimes I think those in Washington could use some nice neutral, peaceful mediation… CRC-STL defines mediation as a process in which a neutral person helps create a space where individuals who are in a disagreement can identify the conflict and peacefully discuss solutions towards a long-lasting agreement. Mediation is not the opposite of legal services, but rather an experience that gives each party the ability to voice their opinions and rebuild relationships outside of a legal setting. At the beginning of a mediation, a mediator will establish ground rules and a code of conduct, including rules regarding confidentiality. And before the mediation officially begins, the mediator will have the participants agree, in writing, to follow those ground rules. During the course of the mediation, each participant will have a chance to share their perspective. The mediator will then work with the parties to develop solutions and, in some cases, an agreement between the participants on how they want to proceed in the future. Our mediations generally last between 1 and 2 hours. At the end of a mediation, if the parties have an agreement and if the

parties want it, the mediator will memorialize the agreement in writing. The parties will then sign it and leave the mediation with a document in hand. In addition to mediation services, CRC-STL can train employees on conflict resolution and de-escalation techniques. We can also educate people on how to go about getting a dispute mediated.

Why Mediate?

There are a number of reasons to mediate a dispute. Mediation allows you a chance to be heard, and it provides you an opportunity to have a voice in the outcome of your dispute. Mediation gives participants the tools to empower themselves and the tools to communicate with one another should they have a different issue in the future. In a workplace context, meditation boosts morale. In a neighborhood or housing context, it fosters harmony. I see people resorting first to legal action without considering their alternatives. But we all know that legal action can result in heavy expenditures, extensive time commitments, and the possibility of an unsatisfactory outcome. Mediation can avoid this altogether and is a great first step to resolving a dispute.

How It Helps...

What I find most heartwarming about mediation is its ability to re-open the lines of communication between participants. Many who participate in mediation, be it landlords or tenants, can be embarrassed or apprehensive about opening up. Mediation creates a safe space for them to do so. We’ve found that many landlords are open and receptive and more than willing to help their tenants, keeping a secure roof over their heads. Many tenants want to honor their lease but are sometimes in need of clarity or guidance on how they can do so. CRC-STL’s holistic approach has allowed me the opportunity and time to work with tenants and offer them other resources during our conversations. Some were looking for utility assistance, childcare, or even employment help. We have partnerships and resources that we can direct them to. This organization fills my heart. My time with CRC-STL has proven to me that conversation goes a long way, and mediation goes a long way to making those conversations productive and healthy. I can’t imagine a better solution for a dispute between some tenants over noise or some employees who can’t seem to agree on who gets what shift, and when. I would highly recommend landlords and small businesses consider using CRC’s services anytime you have conflict or disagreement issues, whether it’s with another contractor, employees, supervisors, tenants or your tenants with other tenants.

Find Out More

To learn more about the CRC-STL, visit us online at crcstl.org or contact us at 314.255.7449. If you have a case you think would be appropriate for mediation, visit crcstl.org/intake. Sheila Webster is the Intake/Fundraising Coordinator at the Conflict Resolution Center-St. Louis. After a long career in the corporate world, the uncertainty of 2020 allowed Sheila to pivot her time and energy to the nonprofit sector and do work that is good for her heart as one of the first points of contact for clients of CRC-STL. She is excited to be a part of the amazing and growing CRC-STL organization.