Falls Church, Feb. 22, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Community Associations Institute (CAI), the leading international authority in community association education, governance, and management is proud to announce its 40,000 membership milestone.
CAI's total membership of 40,389 includes volunteer homeowner leaders who serve on their association boards in homeowners associations (HOAs), condominium communities, and cooperatives, as well as community management professionals and business partners serving these communities.
The membership increase is a significant gain following the Oct. 1, 2017 announcement of CAI's new membership dues restructuring plan for its Homeowner Leader membership type, which offers community associations the opportunity to sign up to 15 board members for only $250. Prior to Oct. 1, CAI membership totaled 34,555. Since the Oct. 1 implementation, CAI’s overall membership has experienced a 14 percent increase and a 34 percent increase for homeowner leaders.
“We understand the best community associations have the best boards—they're educated, knowledgeable, and prepared to lead their communities," said Thomas M. Skiba, CAE, CAI's chief executive officer. “In the past, community associations would typically only support a CAI membership for the top three board positions—president, vice president, and treasurer. Under the new plan, communities can now sign up their entire board to join CAI at the lowest cost. Today, we’re proud to share that more community associations are choosing to be a part of the CAI family and trust our organization as the leading provider with the best tools and resources they need to be successful."
Since CAI was established in 1973 with only 200 members, education and training, networking opportunities, and access to exclusive catalogues and publications have been key benefits of membership. By 1983, the organization was comprised of more than 5,000 members and by 2010, CAI reached its 30,000 member milestone. Today, CAI has 64 chapters worldwide, including Canada, the Middle East, and South Africa, and relationships with housing leaders in Spain, Australia, and the United Kingdom. While education, training, and networking continue to be priority, CAI is also the leader in community association industry research and data and advocacy support for community association residents across the globe.
According to the 2017 CAI Member Needs Assessment Survey, 89 percent say they're likely to recommend CAI to their peers. Across all member types, the most important reasons for joining CAI include professional designations and certifications, connection to local CAI chapters, networking, and education.
“Since its inception, CAI has played a pivotal role in shaping the community association housing model, by educating and training industry professionals and advocating on behalf of the stakeholders who live and work in these thriving communities, “said Crystal Wallace, CAE, CAI's vice president of membership and chapter relations. “Forty years later, our mission remains—uniting communities worldwide by continuing to understand the influence of today's community association leaders, community managers, and business partners. Our work sets the tone for associations, reflective in a community culture that Americans and the world identify as preferred places to call home.”
About Community Associations Institute
Since 1973, Community Associations Institute (CAI) has been the leading provider of resources and information for homeowners, volunteer board leaders, professional managers, and business professionals in 346,000 homeowners associations, condominiums, and housing cooperatives in the United States and millions of communities worldwide. With more than 40,000 members, CAI works in partnership with 36 legislative action committees and 64 affiliated chapters within the U.S., Canada, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates as well as with housing leaders in several other countries, including Australia, Spain, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom. A global nonprofit 501(c)(6) organization, CAI is the foremost authority in community association management, governance, education, and advocacy. Our mission is to inspire professionalism, effective leadership, and responsible citizenship—ideals reflected in community associations that are preferred places to call home. Visit us at www.caionline.org and follow us on Twitter and Facebook @caisocial.