Community Associations Institute's Research Foundation has changed its name to the Foundation for Community Association Research, a move designed to clarify and promote the organization's mission to conduct research and disseminate information on issues facing community associations.
The Foundation was created in 1975 to raise contributions for research projects involving association-governed communities. Its mission focuses on illuminating future trends and opportunities in the community association field by supporting and conducting research and making that information available to those involved in association governance.
"The new name depicts more clearly the nature of our mission," said Foundation President Ronald L. Perl, Esq. "The Foundation is the driving force for better understanding of the issues that confront communities. By identifying trends in residential community association living, we strive to serve as the catalyst for positive change in this growing segment of the American housing market."
An estimated 50 million Americans live in some 250,000 association-governed communities, including homeowner and condominium associations, cooperatives and other planned communities.
The Foundation recently released Best Practices Report #7 - Transition, which includes guidelines and case studies designed to help communities transition from builder to community association control. The report addresses a wide range of transition issues, including construction, governance, document preparation, communications, maintenance of common property, financial control, budgets, litigation, engineering reports and insurance.
Other Best Practices reports address:
- Reserve Studies Management
- Energy Efficiency
- Financial Operations
- Community Harmony/Spirit/Involvement
- Strategic Planning
- Resident Involvement and Conflict Resolution
The reports can be downloaded at no charge at http://www.cairf.org/.
The Foundation sponsored a full-day symposium October 30, 2003, on community governance during CAI's 30th Anniversary Conference & Exposition in Washington, D.C. Sessions addressed policy governance, rule making, legal issues and the benefits of CAI's national campaign, Rights and Responsibilities for Better Communities.
Past Foundation projects have included two Communities of Tomorrow summits, a professional manager survey, and research measuring homeowner satisfaction in community associations.
"The Foundation exists to help volunteers and professionals better understand the increasingly sophisticated nature of community association management and governance," said Michele Jerome, executive director of the Foundation and CAI's vice president of education. "Thanks to the financial support of contributors, we are able to address key issues facing community associations today and provide insight and information to those who work to make their communities the best they can be."
The Foundation is supported by voluntary contributions. More information is available at http://www.cairf.org/.
CAI is a national organization dedicated to fostering vibrant, effective and harmonious community associations. CAI's 15,000-plus members include community association volunteer leaders, professional managers, management firms and businesses that provide a variety of products and services to community associations.
More information on CAI and its 55 local, regional and state chapters is available at www.CAIonline.org or by calling CAI Direct at (703) 548-8600.