Community Mediation Services

05/28/2026

Roommate drama is rarely about the dishes. CMS's Nick Schmitt was featured in sharing what we know best: most conflict comes down to unclear expectations. The fix? Be specific. Put it in writing. Talk before resentment builds. Whether it's roommates, neighbors, or families, conflict doesn't have to become crisis.

How do you actually make living with roommates work day to day? Check out advice prom professionals and find out how self storage helps.

05/25/2026

Today we remember the men and women who didn't come home. Many of them came from the neighborhoods where we work every day; Queens and Brooklyn are home to more than half of New York City's veterans, and the families who carry these losses live on our blocks, in our buildings, in our schools. We honor their sacrifice by continuing the work of peace at home between neighbors, in families, in the places they loved.

05/20/2026

CMS is being mentioned in the Times!

Our very own Nicholas Schmitt, Senior Manager of Mediation, is featured in the New York Times!

Nick and his team work tirelessly helping New Yorkers resolve conflict quickly, affordably, and with dignity. From landlord‑tenant issues to neighbor, family, and peer-to-peer disputes, CMS' mediation team guides residents toward lasting solutions that genuinely work for both sides. Nick's work at CMS reflects the everyday, behind‑the‑scenes efforts that keep Queens residents stronger and more connected.

Read the full article and see Nick’s insights in action here:

Advice from experts on how to keep disputes from escalating and get to a resolution.

05/19/2026

Join us! The CMS Health Advocacy Partners Program (HAPP) is bringing the community together to support healthier living at the Queensbridge Health and Wellness Expo on Wednesday, June 10, 2026 at 10 AM. Enjoy a day of free health information, wellness resources, screenings, and referrals for individuals and families.

For more information or for questions call the HAPP office at 917‑396‑4023 | 917‑721‑3472

05/15/2026

VOTING IS NOW OPEN!

If you had access to $4 million of the New York City budget, what would you spend it on?

Right now, New Yorkers actually get to decide. is NYC’s citywide budgeting process that lets residents directly choose how public funds strengthen their communities.

As you cast your vote, remember what organizations like ours make possible for Queens and Brooklyn. CMS supports 10,000+ people every year through conflict resolution, youth development, family stabilization, restorative justice, and housing support, including keeping 450+ children out of foster care and helping create safer, more stable neighborhoods.

If you believe in connecting tech-savvy youth with seniors, recreational activities for children in foster care, mobile art centers, job training, and healthy hot meals programs, vote for initiatives that align with CMS’s proven impact and help expand the services that keep our neighborhoods thriving.

Cast your vote at on.nyc.gov/pb through June 21.

05/10/2026

Mother goes by many names in our community. Today we honor all of them. Happy Mother's Day from CMS.

03/25/2026

When ACS leadership shows up, it means something.

Last week, ACS FAP Assistant Commissioner Naomi Cavanaugh and Executive Directors Tracy Wellman and Shanika Hart joined us at our Brooklyn site for the BSFT Open House and we were honored to have them.

Their presence reflects what we've built together: a program rooted in community, accountable to families, and trusted by the people charged with protecting them.
This is what partnership looks like in practice.

02/25/2026

Housing mediation is part of the solution. A key takeaway from this article: the median arrears in subsidized housing eviction filings is under $4,600. That’s precisely where housing mediation and facilitated payment agreements can make a difference, faster than court, less costly for the city, and more stabilizing for families and property owners alike. Queens residents: If you’re experiencing a housing-related dispute or risk of eviction, call us for free, confidential mediation. Partners and neighbors: Please refer Queens tenants and landlords to us early before issues escalate to court.

A new report shows government-subsidized housing accounted for over a third of eviction filings in 2024, prompting calls for faster aid distribution.

02/16/2026

Presidents Day Fact: In 1947, Truman vetoed the Taft–Hartley Act. Congress overrode him and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service was created as an independent mediation agency. It’s a reminder we see every day: disagreement is normal, but conflict doesn’t have to escalate when people have a fair, neutral path forward.

02/14/2026

In the 700+ mediations we facilitate for families and communities each year. In the 450 families receiving preventive services that keep children safely at home. In the 500+ students we support across 5 schools. In every justice-involved young person our programs help find a path forward. And in the 700+ beds where we give people a safe place to call home. For over 40 years, CMS has been a place where love lives.