This is CAI from Community Associations Institute on Vimeo.

Community Associations Institute (CAI) is a membership organization dedicated to building better communities. Founded in 1973, CAI and its 60 U.S. and international chapters provide information, education and resources to the homeowner volunteers who govern communities and the professionals who support them. CAI’s 30,000-plus members include community association board members, other homeowner leaders, community managers, association management firms and other professionals who provide products and services to community associations.

CAI serves the community association housing market by:

·      Advancing excellence through seminars, workshops, conferences and education programs, most of which lead to professional designations for community managers and other industry professionals.

• Publishing the largest collection of resources available on community association management and governance, including website content, books, guides, Common Ground magazine and specialized newsletters.
• Advocating on behalf of community association and industry professionals before legislatures, regulatory bodies and the courts.
• Conducting research and serving as an international clearinghouse for information, innovations and best practices in community association development, governance and management.

We believe homeowner and condominium associations should strive to exceed the expectations of their residents. We work toward this goal 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, achieve and excel. Our mission is to inspire professionalism, effective leadership and responsible citizenship, ideals reflected in associations that are preferred places to call home. Visit www.caionline.org or call (888) 224-4321.  

Market and Facts

Community Associations Institute (CAI) estimates that in 1970 there were 10,000 community associations nationwide. Today, there are 260,000 community associations housing 50 million Americans. A community association functions as a business, a governance structure, and a community. Traditionally, these functions were applied as follows: business meant austerity; governance meant compliance; and community meant conformity. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the American Housing Survey, and IRS Statistics of Income Reports, associations today are seeking prudence in business, justice in governance, and harmony in community to provide an enjoyable, vibrant lifestyle for homeowners and residents.

Nearly one out of every six Americans (50 million) lives in a community association.

There are an estimated 260,000 community associations in the United States providing 19.9 million housing units.

Between 9,000 and 11,000 new community associations are formed every year

In the largest metropolitan areas, more than 50 percent of new home sales are in community associations.

Community associations can range in size from as small as a two-unit associations to large-scale, master planned communities with more than 30,000 units.

1.25 million Americans serve on a community association Board.

Community associations have become increasingly popular because they help protect home values, provide affordable ownership opportunities, help meet the increased privatization of services as local governments cut back, and are efficient land planning, land use, and land conservation techniques.

Economic Impact

The real estate value of all community associations and their units exceeds $2.25 trillion, approximately 17-19% of the value of all U.S. residential real estate.