How Does Mediation Work for California Landlord-Tenant Disputes?

California has a robust network of community mediation centers that handle landlord-tenant disputes, funded under the Dispute Resolution Programs Act (DRPA). Most counties have a DRPA-funded center — including the Bay Area Mediation Services, Los Angeles County's Dispute Resolution Program (DRPA centers in each supervisorial district), and the San Diego Mediation Center. These centers provide free or low-cost mediation for residential landlord-tenant disputes including security deposit returns, habitability complaints, lease termination disagreements, and rent increase disputes. In cities with rent control ordinances — including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, and Santa Monica — disputes over rent increases, just cause eviction, and relocation assistance are often handled through the local rent board's hearing process, but mediation is also available as an alternative. California's COVID-19 Tenant Relief Act and subsequent legislation created a complex patchwork of tenant protections that generated significant mediation demand through 2023. For commercial landlord-tenant disputes, private mediation is the norm, and most commercial leases contain mandatory mediation clauses. The California Apartment Association (CAA) and local apartment associations also offer dispute resolution resources for their members.