A mediation program in Mountain View City that received a great deal of criticism received the final nod after the city council voted in favor of the program 4 to 3. The program is intended to assist city renters facing problems. Critics say the program will be ineffective, but those supporting the program believe that even an imperfect program is better than none.

The program is called the Rental-Housing Dispute Resolution Program and is intended to help renters seeking respite from soaring rental costs. It is set to take place the end of May and will mandate mediation, if requested, between landlords and renters for any rent increases that are over 7.2%.

The mediation process would include three separate discussions intended to help broker a compromise between renters and landlords. Landlords are obligated to attend, but parties are not required to reach a resolution. This causes many to question whether or not the mediation is even worth the effort.

One member of the council points out if a renter is facing an increase in rent and he or she knows the landlord is not obligated to make the situation better through mediation, why even bother wasting time on the process?

Another grievance council members have is the 7.2% threshold and believe it to be too high. He suggested the council work to lower that amount, which could still occur in the future. Those supporting this version of the program said they are willing to pass the measure as-is and revisit it in the future – to at least get something on the books within 30 days and help tenants with their concerns.