Despite CAI closing in on its 35th anniversary this year, we frequently hear from folks who don't understand our mission, aren't really sure who we represent, or want to know more about what we do and why we do it. Herewith a recent, but typical, exchange between a writer and our VP of Communications, Frank Rathbun.
Dear Mr. Frank Rathbun, VP, Communications & Public Relations,
Do you represent the interests of the Home owner Associations, Management Companies or the owners of the individual units. Although HOA's often have a beneficial role, there are cases that they are very arbitrary, discriminatory and often cause anguish and loss of home and great deal of money.
Please respond to this e-mail. Thank you for your anticipated assistance in this matter.
Respectfully,,
(Name Withheld)
And Frank's response:
CAI does its very best to represent the best interests of community associations and the people who make their homes in common-interest communities. That means providing tools and resources to our entire membership which includes individual homeowners along with homeowner volunteer leaders (board members), professional community managers, management companies and other professionals who support community associations. See the description below.
CAI is a national membership organization dedicated to fostering vibrant, competent, harmonious common-interest communities. Founded in 1973, CAI and its 58 chapters provide education, tools and resources to the volunteers who govern communities and the professionals who support them. CAI’s 28,500+ members include community association volunteer leaders (homeowners), professional association managers and management firms and other professionals who provide products and services to community associations. We believe homeowner and condominium associations can and should exceed the expectations of their residents. We work toward this ideal by identifying and meeting the evolving needs of the professionals and volunteers who serve associations, by being a trusted forum for the collaborative exchange of knowledge and information, and by helping our members learn, excel and achieve. Our vision is reflected in community associations that become better—even preferred—places to call home.
In short, we strive to promote harmony, responsible citizenship, effective leadership and a sense of community. Ultimately, however, homeowners are responsible for setting the tone and direction for their community.
We are under no illusions with respect to the issues that arise in some association-governed communities. Not all associations live up to the ideal embodied in our mission. There are incompetent boards. There are also irresponsible homeowners. Nationally, an estimated 60 million Americans live in close to 300,000 homeowner and condominium associations, cooperatives and other planned communities. It isn't’t realistic to expect each and every association to run smoothly all the time, without conflict, misunderstanding and dissension? Utopia doesn't exist in any universe of this size.
Some issues are brought on by individual residents who either don't know the rules or decide that certain rules and obligations don't apply to them. Other conflicts are created by poor communication and faulty decision-making by community boards. Still other situations are the result of circumstances that do not lend themselves to simple solutions. Individual preferences can conflict with the best interests of the community at large, even in the very best of communities. Mistakes, missteps and misunderstandings are inevitable.
But this is not the norm. While conflict makes headlines, there is little news in harmony. We read about planes that crash, not the millions of flights that arrive safely. Most residents are content with their community associations. Almost 9 in 10 believe that their board members strive to serve the best interests of the community. You might want to review the results of a November 2007 national survey conducted by Zogby International. More than 1.5 million Americans serve on community association boards. These volunteers are elected by their neighbors to serve the best interests of the community as a whole. The overwhelming majority of them are doing their best to build community, protect property values and meet the established expectations of residents. In the vast majority of communities, they are succeeding! That’s why we don’t hear about them!
I encourage you to visit our website and review Rights and Responsibilities for Better Communities, a series if 42 principles and practices adopted by countless associations nationwide. Visitors to the website should also review our Community Association Governance Guidelines, 12 principles that can help homeowner volunteer leaders build better communities. We also have an extensive Reading Room. Homeowners can also gain a wealth of knowledge and perspective by downloading our popular education primer, An Introduction to Community Association Living. In fact, many associations and management companies include this document in their "move in" package for new residents in their communities.
All of these resources are free to members and nonmembers alike. Lastly, you can peruse more than 100 book titles on a wide variety of topics related to community associations in our bookstore .
I hope this information is helpful. Best regards.
Frank Rathbun
Vice President of Communications
CAI
