Welcome to Ungated

Well, another CAI National Conference is in the books and it was an incredibly successful one.  Our visit to Orlando brought opportunities to learn and share, meet new friends and reconnect with old friends, have some fun, and use the Magic of Community to re-energize ourselves and our careers.  Those who were there know what I am talking about.  If you weren't there, you should have been.  Just ask someone who attended about all the things you missed, including:

* 1,100+ attendees

* 130+ exhibitors and sponsors

* 34 chapter and individual awards

* 24 educational sessions and workshops

* 6 receptions and cocktail parties

* 2 fascinating general sessions

* 1 fabulous awards dinner and dance

And that's just the high points of the official program.  There was also Disney, golf, and lots of other diversions.

It's not to early to begin planning for next years conference in New Orleans, LA.  You can help us bring community to NOLA from April 22nd through 25th 2009.

Today is Earth Day 2008 and an appropriate time to remember that we all have an important obligation to manage our resources wisely and leave the world a little bit better than we found it.  And communities across the country are already living "green" in many ways.

CAI is pleased to announce a new program to help community associations of all types and sizes make their communities a little more green.  Community Green is a new website dedicated to providing associations and their residents with resources, tools, and examples of how they can conserve energy, reduce their environmental footprint, and maybe even save money at the same time.

In the spirit of the environmental movement's credo "Think Globally - Act Locally", Community Green is designed to give community associations the tools they need to identify opportunities to be more environmentally active, build consensus within the community around particular initiatives, and achieve practical, measurable results.  Results that have a positive impact and still reflect the unique nature of community association living.

And we want to hear more about what you are doing in your own community.  Tell us how your association has made a positive environmental difference.  Share your story on the Community Green website or click on the comment link below so that others can learn from your experiences.

The on-line auction to benefit CAI's Issues Advancement Fund is in full swing and only has 3 more days to run.  You can review the various auction items and place your bids at our auction site.  Funds are made available to our Legislative Action Committees to support key advocacy initiatives year-round.

Whether it is a quick get away to Mexico, some unique artwork, or more Disney secrets than you ever wanted to know, there is something in the auction for everyone.

Special thanks also go to our auction sponsors...

...and all the individual contributors of auction items.

CAI has arranged some additional resources and benefits for attendees at the upcoming National Conference in Orlando.  (Hard to believe it is less than 2 weeks away).

Interested in spending some time at DisneyWorld, Epcot, or one of the other parks?  You can get discounted tickets as a CAI meeting attendee.  These Special Disney Meeting/Convention Theme Park Tickets are available only in advance and only to meeting attendees, their guests and family members.  Disney's multi-day and half-day Meeting/Convention tickets are designed to fit any agenda and can not be purchased at the Theme Park Gates.  For ticket purchase, visit www.disneyconventionears.com/tickets or contact our office at (407) 824.3869.

Need to get to your hotel?  You can arrange an airport transfer from Disney's Magical Express Service - If you are arriving by air at Orlando International Airport, Disney's Legendary service starts the moment you touch down and continues throughout your stay. This exclusive complimentary shuttle and luggage delivery service conveniently takes you from the airport directly to your Disney Resort and back stress-free. For more information and to book, call (407) 827-6777 or visit www.disneyconventionears.com/dme.

CAI's 57th National Conference will convene in a little more than 2 weeks.  Our first event will be our Welcome Reception on Wednesday evening from 5 - 7 pm.  This is a great chance to see and be seen, to catch up with old friends, and to meet some new ones.  If you haven't registered yet, there is still time to register online.  Need more info?  Check out the conference page and the full brochure detailing all the educational sessions.

We couldn't deliver conference without the generous support of our sponsors.  CAI gives our special thanks to the following sponsors:

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Platinum Partner

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TOPS Software, LLC

Also co-sponsor of PCAM Reception

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General Session Sponsor

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Associa

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Gold Partners

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AmeriFlood

Community Archives, Inc.

Also sponsor of Leadership Break and CED Scholarship

SmartStreet

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Events Sponsors

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Welcome Reception

Association Voice, Inc.

CGI Windows & Doors, Inc.

Jenark

U.S. Lawns

PCAM Reception Co-Sponsor

The Flood Company

TOPS Software, LLC

Managers Reception

Kevin Davis Insurance Services

Chapter Leadership Breakfast

Colonial Bank

Chapter Leadership Break

Community Archives, Inc.

SouthData

Name Badges

dwellingLive, Inc.

I want to invite you to participate in an exciting event CAI is hosting as part of the upcoming National Conference. As part of our effort to raise money for the Issues Advancement Fund (IAF), CAI will be launching an online auction in the weeks leading up to our meeting in Orlando.

 

From April 7-14, you can preview the auction catalog online.

 

Bidding begins on April 14, and concludes on Thursday, April 24.

 

You’ll find a selection of items covering a variety of prices and interests, including:

The online bidding will begin Monday, April 14 and concluded on Thursday, April 24^th.

• Roundtrip travel for 2 on Southwest Airlines
• An amphibious tour of Washington, DC
• A Nintendo DS-Lite portable video game system
• A Disney Secrets package
• And other great donations

 

The online auction will give you the opportunity to bid on exciting products and services while supporting advocacy efforts across the country.

 

CAI maintains the IAF to provide grants to state Legislative Action Committees (LACs). Grants support member efforts in shaping public policy related to community associations.

Community associations are not governments -- many years of legislation and court rulings have established that fact beyond a reasonable doubt. Yet they are clearly democratic in their operations, electing their leadership from among the homeowners on a periodic basis. In fact, associations operate much more democratically than almost any other form of corporate entity. You can own a couple of shares of ExxonMobil, but they certainly aren't going to give you an opportunity to serve on the board, and the process for nominating and electing directors is pro forma from the perspective of a small shareholder. But if you want to get involved in your community's leadership the barriers to entry are much lower. In fact, many communities go begging for folks to serve as volunteer leaders.   more »

Don't forget, today is the deadline for Early Bird Registration for National Conference in Orlando.  Save $50 by signing up today online, by fax, or by phone  (888) 224-4321 (M-F, 9-6:30 ET).  Need more information?  Check out the full conference brochure and the conference web page.

Julie Adamen is well-known fixture in the community management profession.  A former manager herself, she now focuses her time on recruiting professional community managers, speaking on industry issues, and training managers and boards across the country.  Julie's monthly newsletter is always timely and provocative -- you will never be in doubt about how she thinks about a topic.

This month, her lead article focuses on why community management is a great industry to be in, especially right now as other portions of the real estate market wither to a shadow of their former selves.  I encourage you to give it a look. 

Julie rightly points out that our industry continues to grow, that it is fundamentally safe from outsourcing, and can be intellectually and personally challenging.  This certainly agrees with my observations, including the continued demand for experienced, trained community managers.  Existing communities must still be managed, perhaps more so now that foreclosures and falling sales prices have made being budget conscious even more important than ever.

Hard on the heels of the National Conference in Orlando next month, CAI will be holding its 21st Annual CEO-MC Retreat in Salt Lake City, Utah from June 19 - 21.  Designed as a unique once a year learning and networking experience for management company CEO's and senior management, the retreat is an opportunity to hone your leadership skills and learn what works and what doesn't in today's challenging association management environment.  The Retreat begins at noon on June 19 and ends around noon on Saturday June 21.

In addition to the Retreat, we will also be conducting our one-day CEO Bootcamp on June 18th from noon to 5pm.  If you are new to your company or your leadership position, the Bootcamp is a great way to familiarize yourself with the critical issues and management challenges you will face, understand the dynamics of our industry, and network with other company executives.

And for those of you who chase a little white ball around in the sunshine, we will once again be holding our annual CEO Open golf outing on June 18 and 19. 

All the information on times, dates, and costs is on the registration form.  (Note: the final costs for golf have not been determined yet.  Please indicate your interest on the form, any requested playing partners, and your handicap so that we can reserve you a tee time.  We will collect the golf fee at a later date.)

Don't forget that the "early bird" registration deadline for CAI's 57th National Conference is coming up on March 31st.  Register by the end of this month and save $50.

And we have just added two additional special events to the conference schedule.

Mid-Florida Chapter Party—Thursday, May 1, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Enjoy an evening of food and fun at the dance club MOTiON, located in Downtown Disney Pleasure Island. Admission includes a buffet reception, two drink tickets and entertainment. Tickets are just $75 before March 31 and $85 at the door.

Behind the Scenes Tour—Wednesday, April 30, 1-4:00 p.m.; Saturday, May 3, 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Have you ever wondered what goes on "behind the scenes" at the Walt Disney World® Resort? This tour is an unforgettable journey—where you see, firsthand, just how the "magic" is made!

I hope to see you in sunny Orlando.

CAI's Rocky Mountain Chapter has had a long history of leadership in the community in and around Denver, Colorado.  Recently, the chapter has been expanding their efforts to work with media outlets in Colorado to help educate board members and homeowners in associations throughout the state. 

In their most recent effort, Gary Debus, community manager of Highlands Ranch (one of the largest associations in the United States with over 90,000 residents) appeared on local ABC affiliate 7News to talk about resolving conflicts in your association.  Gary did a great job and clearly demonstrated the thoughtful, positive process that CAI works to bring to every situation like this.

Check out the Rocky Mountain Chapters homepage for other recent articles and media appearances.  And congratulations to the chapter and Gary for a job well done.

Come and share the magic!

CAI's 57th National Conference and Exposition is coming to Orlando, Florida from April 30 through May 3.  With programming designed for managers, association board members, and business partners alike, Conference is CAI's premier event of the year, bringing together all of our members to network, learn, and experience what makes good communities work.

You can check out the conference page, the full conference brochure, and the registration form online. 

Some of this years emerging topics include:

-  Immigration issues: Dealing with verification requirements

-  Licensing professional community managers

-  Green commuities: Find out how your community can reduce its environmental impact

In fact, our entire conference is going green this year. No more bulky handouts to lug around.  Copies of all the conference presentations will be available on the web before and during the conference and every attendee will receive a searchable CD-ROM of all the materials at registration.

Don't forget, register by March 31 and save $50 off the full registration price.  First time attendees can save an additional $50.  Not sure what the conference experience is all about, or if it is for you?  Check out our blog, Live From Las Vegas, which chronicled last years record-setting event at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, NV.

And for those community managers looking to advance their professional skills and expertise, we are also offering a comprehensive slate of Professional Manager Development Program (PMDP) courses from the introductory M-100 through the PCAM Case Study in the days leading up to conference. 

A special thanks to our sponsors:

Platinum Partner

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TOPS Software, LLC

Also co-sponsor of PCAM Reception

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Speaker Sponsor

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Associa

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Gold Partner

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AmeriFlood





Community Archives, Inc.



Also sponsor of Leadership Break and CED Scholarship

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Events Sponsors

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Welcome Reception

Association Voice, LLC



Jenark



U.S. Lawns




PCAM Reception Co-Sponsor

The Flood Company




Managers Reception

Kevin Davis Insurance Services



Chapter Leadership Breakfast

Colonial Bank



Chapter Leadership Break

SouthData



Name Badges

dwellingLive, Inc.

Thanks again to all the sponsors and all the volunteers who make conference such a unique and valuable event.  I hope to see you there.

There have been a number of well publicized cases of financial malfeasance in the community association industry over the last year or so, some by managers and others by board members.  So what can an association do to protect themselves from this kind of risk? 

Attorney Kelly Richardson recently wrote an article for the Orange County (CA) Register outlining ten tips that associations can implement to increase the procedural and system controls over their funds, ensure appropriate spans of control, and reduce the risk of loss.  Among his recommendations are:

~ Review financial records regularly

~ Don't concentrate responsibility in a single set of hands, whether that is a board member or manager.  Require multiple signatures for checks and other material transactions.

~ Manage the overall risk through timely audits and reviews, as well as appropriate insurance coverage.

~ And always remember that as a board member you can delegate responsibility for some activities, but you cannot delegate ultimate accountability for performance.

I encourage you to take a look at Kelly's article.

Dealing with the process of drafting regulations or commenting on those drafts can be enough glaze over the eyes of even the most seasoned government affairs staff. But despite the painful process of pouring over page after page of detailed regulations, which can sometimes read like the phone book, the end results can and do have a direct impact on our communities. Most recently, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has determined it has the authority to regulate exclusive contracts for video services (e.g.- cable) provided to associations and other multi-family developments. In that same order the FCC also asked for comments on a proposal to regulate associations ability to use bulk service agreements to bargain for better prices. CAI has submitted extensive comments on both these issues and you can read them here.

The FCC’s proposals raise valid questions. Do exclusive agreements between providers of video services and associations help or hurt consumers? Should an association be banned from using the number of residents in the association as a tool to bargain with cable giants for better rates? And just as importantly, is the FCC authorized under existing law to expand its authority in these areas or is it required to get permission for expanding its authority from Congress?

As the voice of community associations, our job is to make sure that the FCC hears our side of the story and that’s something we will continue to do.  For more information on the current status of the FCC rulings and other hot legislative and regulatory topics from around the country check out our Political "Heads Up" page.