History
Community Boards is the oldest and longest running community mediation center in the United States. It was founded by Raymond Shonholtz in 1976, who emphasized the need for ordinary citizens to take responsibility for resolving disputes in their own communities, rather than ceding responsibility to the courts, police, government or other external authority figures. Shonholtz conceptualized Community Boards as an early intervention in the conflict cycle: a way of dealing with conflict in a safe manner before a law was broken, violence occurred, or crisis developed. Community Boards continues in this vein today, offering low-cost, confidential, voluntary, and impartial conflict resolution services to San Francisco Community members.
Specialties
Community Boards specializes in mediation, facilitation, conflict coaching, and training. We empower communities and individuals in the San Francisco Bay Area with the strength, skills and resources needed to express and resolve conflicts peacefully and appropriately for their culture and environment.