Homeowners, professionals and others interested in the impact of federal legislation on community associations and their residents have an opportunity to learn more about pressing issues, as well as educate lawmakers about the issues at hand. The Community Associations Institute (CAI) is holding its Government Affairs Conference & Capitol Hill Day on Feb. 2-3, and its Law Seminar 2000 on Feb. 4-5. Both events will be held at the Washington Monarch Hotel in downtown Washington, DC.

CAI's Government Affairs Conference & Capitol Hill day will give attendees direct access to leading policymakers through Capitol Hill meetings and keynote speakers. Prior to visiting the Hill, workshops on communicating effectively with government officials will take place, as well as sessions for CAI Legislative Action Committee members on issue management, advocacy strategy and LAC operations.

What's the advantage of taking members to Capitol Hill to meet with lawmakers? "In addition to directly lobbying members of Congress, our front line volunteers will return home with the additional knowledge and skills to deliver our message of strength in their home state houses," said Rodney D. Clark, CAI's vice president of government & public affairs. "These CAI ambassadors will lead the charge on behalf of the nation's 205,000 condominium associations, cooperatives and homeowner associations, which provide homes for 1 out of every 6 Americans."

Some highlights from the upcoming conference are:

• Feb. 2, 2 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.—Government Affairs Conference Opening General Session—While some refer to the nation's capitol as "Powertown," it's the voters across the country who hold real authority in this election year. Hear the political experts handicap the presidential and key congressional races that are certain to impact how Washington works.
• Feb. 2, 3:45 p.m. - 5:15 p.m.—Issues Briefing & Discussion—Knowledge is power! CAI Government & Public Affairs staff will help prepare attendees for Capitol Hill visits by detailing the latest developments on priority issues facing community associations.
• Feb 3, 10:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.—Conducting Effective Congressional Meetings—The issues have been briefed. The meetings are arranged. However, a few final steps are necessary to ensure positive results when participants journey to Capitol Hill. This session will help package attendees' your knowledge, enthusiasm and preparation to guarantee that the message gets across.
• Feb. 3, 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.—Capitol Hill Day Visits—Take that Hill! As community association and CAI ambassadors, participation in meeting with Members of Congress or their staff is invaluable, now and in the future.
• Special guests at this year's Government Affairs Conference include Congressman Mark Foley; Congresswoman Anne Meagher Northup; Grace Cummings, chief of staff for Congressman Jack Kingston; and Charles Mahtesian, a staff writer for GOVERNING Magazine.

CAI's Law Seminar 2000 will give attendees exposure to a forum that will explore future trends and practices of law in homeowner associations, condominium associations and cooperatives. After attending this seminar you will be prepared to deal with issues facing condominium and homeowner associations today, know how to plan for the next five to 10 years in the practice of association law, and have a valuable, powerful network of colleagues from around the country. In addition, you'll hear expert advice and learn more about the latest developments on reducing the risk of employment issues, fair housing and state Non-profit Corporations Acts.

Some of the featured concurrent sessions will include Manager Attorney Relationships, Educating Judges and Juries, Turning Bad Documents into Good Ones and The Forgotten Tool: State Non-profit Corporations Act. There will also be ample time for attendees to mingle and network with professionals and experts from all over the country on issues facing association communities.

For more information on either seminar, call CAI Central at (703) 548-8600 or visit CAI's web site.

The Community Associations Institute is a nonprofit association created in 1973 to educate and represent the nation's 205,000 community associations—condominium associations, homeowner associations and cooperatives. CAI members include homeowners, associations and related professionals and service providers.