AAA-ICDR® Offers Mediation for COVID-19 Eviction Moratoria Cases

NEW YORK, May 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Arbitration Association-International Centre for Dispute Resolution^® (AAA-ICDR) announces the launch of COVID-19 Evictions Moratorium Mediation through AAA Mediation.org^®.

"Business closures and other government-enacted safety measures to slow the spread of COVID-19 have prevented many people across the country from earning income—making them unable to pay their rent," said Dwight James, Senior Vice President, AAA Commercial and Construction Divisions. "At this time of financial distress for so many businesses and households, we are stepping up to provide access to qualified mediators who can resolve disputes arising from terms of rent repayment through an efficient and cost-effective process—enabling people to stay out of court."

Many states and municipalities have issued executive orders enacting a moratorium on commercial and residential evictions for tenants who can show an inability to pay rent due to circumstances stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. The moratoria typically last for 60 to 90 days, and prevent evictions due to loss of income from COVID-19-related workplace closures, school or daycare closures, healthcare expenses, and other reasonable expenditures incurred from emergency measures.

However, these executive orders usually do not provide guidance on how tenants and landlords can establish repayment terms after the moratoria expire, which can lead to future disputes. More than 200 AAA mediators with the necessary real estate experience are available to resolve these cases, and many of them have agreed to consider cases pro bono or at reduced rates. To learn more about COVID-19 Evictions Moratorium Mediation, please visit https://go.adr.org/covid-19-evictions-moratorium-mediation.html.

Tenants and landlords can locate qualified mediators with real estate expertise in their communities by searching the database at AAA Mediation.org: https://www.aaamediation.org.

"We are uniquely situated to assist people in disputes related to rent repayment after eviction moratoria lapse, and we are proud to play an important role in helping our communities and our nation recover from the COVID-19 pandemic," said Harold Coleman, Jr., Senior Vice President and Mediator/Executive Director for AAA Mediation.org. "AAA Mediation.org is a vital resource for bringing the benefits of alternative dispute resolution to individuals and companies across the country."

AAA Mediation.org provides a searchable database of highly skilled mediators with expertise in diverse fields, mediation case-management tools, and online dispute resolution. Practicing mediators can upload their résumés to the searchable online database alongside AAA panel mediators. AAA Mediation.org also offers practice tips and tools, professional development resources, and education and training opportunities.

About the American Arbitration Association
The not-for-profit American Arbitration Association^® (AAA^®) is the leading provider of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services for parties in commercial disputes, having administered more than six million ADR cases since its founding in 1926. With 26 offices in the United States, in addition to Mexico, Singapore, and Bahrain, the AAA provides organizations of all sizes in virtually every industry with ADR services and products. For more information, visit www.adr.org.

About the International Centre for Dispute Resolution
The International Centre for Dispute Resolution^® (ICDR^®) is the international division of the AAA and the largest international provider of dispute resolution services. Established in 1996, the ICDR serves parties from over 99 countries with multilingual staff experienced in international dispute resolution proceedings. 993 international cases were filed with the ICDR in 2018, which offers parties a roster of over 725 arbitrators and mediators. For more information, visit www.icdr.org.

SOURCE American Arbitration Association