Community Mediation Service
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Community Mediation Service
The City of Boulder Community Mediation Service (CMS) provides mediation, restorative justice and meeting facilitation services for City of Boulder residents. CMS also provides neutral information relating to landlord-tenant matters.
Mediation
Mediation is based on open communication and a sincere desire to resolve a dispute. Assistance is offered in the following areas: landlord-tenant, roommates, neighbors, seniors age 55 or older (at least one party must be a senior), parents and their children, teens, school-related conflicts (BVSD), community groups, homeowners associations (HOAs), non-profit agencies, City of Boulder employees, clients and staff of homeless services, race and cross-cultural relations and human rights. CMS will determine if your situation is appropriate for mediation. In most cases participation in mediation is voluntary.
Landlord, Tenant, and Roommate Resources
CMS provides information and resources for renters, owners, roommates, and property managers for residential rental properties within the City of Boulder. Resources include a landlord/tenant handbook and many commonly used sample documents such as the Boulder Model Lease and a 7-day security deposit demand letter. CMS also provides information for landlords renting to section 8 housing choice voucher holders and a separate handbook for residents of manufactured housing (mobile home) parks.
Restorative Justice
In Restorative Justice (RJ), crime is viewed as a violation of people, interpersonal relationships and the community rather than simply a violation of the law. The RJ process involves the victim (harmed party), the offender (responsible party) and members of the community. Participants explore the impacts of the crime, helping the responsible party understand the consequences of their act. Once the impacts are identified by the group they discuss ways for the responsible party to repair the harm they caused. Restorative justice reduces the likelihood that the responsible party will commit another crime. Harmed parties who participate in the process report they feel less fear and are able to move on from the offense.
Volunteer Opportunities
CMS could not operate without our team of dedicated and passionate volunteers! Whether you are a seasoned mediator looking for ways to serve the community or you have just completed the basic 40 hour mediation training and would like to gain case experience, we invite you to send your resume to [email protected] and leave a message at 303-441-4364. We would love to meet with you and see if you're a good fit for our program.
Area residents with restorative justice facilitator training are also welcomed to our program and deeply valued by CMS staff. Please contact us if you would like to work with us!