In response to a critical need for consumer education in community association governance and operations, the Washington Metro Chapter of the Community Associations Institute (WMCCAI) has received more than $60,000 in grants from the Virginia Real Estate Board to support two programs. Owners of condominium, cooperative and planned community homes in Virginia will benefit from ten one-day seminars, to be held in various locations, and a pamphlet on resale disclosure requirements for community associations in Virginia.
"The Washington Metro Chapter of CAI is thrilled to receive these funds, which will allow us to bring essential educational programs to homeowners all over Virginia," said Lisa Levine, executive vice president. "There's a real need for consumer education because of the number of community associations here, and this grant makes it possible for us to share our vast information resources with more residents than ever."
A community association functions as a business, a community and a form of governance, making it a special and complex organization. The one million plus homeowners who serve on a community association board of directors nationwide need specialized training and education to run an effective and harmonious association. "ABCs: A Basic Course for Community Associations" covers the areas homeowners need to master in an eight-hour class: the legal foundations, organization and finances of community associations; problem solving; hiring a professional team; creation and enforcement of restrictions; maintenance; and risk control and insurance.
A grant of $36,100 from the Virginia Real Estate Board Common Interest Community Management Information Fund (CIC-MIF) will enable WMCCAI to offer this training to homeowners for $15, including lunch, at ten area locations in 1999.
WMCCAI also received a grant of $24,000 to produce a free consumer brochure that will educate homebuyers on resale disclosure requirements for community associations in the Commonwealth. Fifteen thousand brochures will be distributed to community associations, settlement agents, attorneys and public libraries to ensure that homebuyers have the tools to make an informed choice on whether the community association lifestyle is right for them and their families.
For more information, contact WMCCAI at 703/750-3644 or visit the chapter web site.
The CIC-MIF grant program was established to support and promote common interest community knowledge by providing and disbursing funds for quality educational services and programs, including research, for the benefit of community association boards of directors, committees, managers, homeowners and real estate professionals.
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.