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Oct. 6, 2020 — Falls Church, VA — Ninety percent of New Jersey homeowners living in a community association believe their association's rules protect and enhance property values (64%) or make no difference (26%), according to the 2020 Homeowner Satisfaction Survey, an exclusive industry report conducted by Zogby Analytics for the Foundation for Community Association Research.

The biennial, nationwide survey is the only one of its kind providing a better understanding of how 73.9 million Americans describe their experience living in condominiums and homeowners associations—communities where neighbors share a fiscal responsibility and commitment to pay for common expenses, such as trash collection, landscaping, and snow removal, and maintain amenities, such as pools, fitness centers, and playgrounds.

For the past decade, New Jersey community associations have continued to increase. The Garden State is now home to nearly 7,000 communities, according to the 2019-2020 National and State Statistical Review for Community Association Data published by the Foundation. According to New Jersey homeowners responding to the 2020 Homeowner Satisfaction Survey, maintenance-free living is the single-best benefit of their community association, followed by cleanliness/attractiveness, and safety. The overwhelming majority (90%) rate their overall community association living experience as “very good" or “good" (68%) or “neutral" (22%). The vast majority (86%) were told prior to purchase that their home was in a community association, and 54% said that fact had “no impact" on their homebuying decision.

“This research shows that New Jersey communities are meeting the needs and expectations of their homeowners, contrary to negative portrayals of the community association housing model," says Thomas M. Skiba, CAE, CAI's chief executive officer. “For more than 60 years, community associations have brought comfort and convenience to millions of homeowners and home renters worldwide. We believe that the most successful associations make community the foundation and promote policies that reflect the will of all residents. We are proud that community associations are places where groups of people discover ways to make what they have in common more powerful than what keeps them apart."

New Jersey residents also commented on other factors of community association living, including:

• Seventy-four percent say they have attended their association's board meetings—two points higher than the national average (72%).
• The average amount of monthly assessments, or fees, is $101–$300. When asked about the amount they pay, 44% of homeowners feel they're paying “just the right amount" in assessments.
• The majority of residents (72%) say they get along “very well" or “well" with their neighbors.
• Seventy percent of respondents say their community association manager provides value and support to residents and the community as a whole.
• More than two-thirds of those surveyed (71%) prefer “less government control" or “no change" to state laws and regulations for governing community associations.
• ​Sixty-one percent say they vote in national elections, and more than half (53%) say they “always" vote in state and local elections.

According to the survey, more homeowners in New Jersey reported living in condominiums and townhomes (22% each) compared to nationwide results, where 13% live in condominiums, and 11% live in townhomes. Half of New Jersey homeowners reported living in single-family homes compared to 70% of homeowners nationwide.

“The Foundation is proud to deliver this exclusive industry report that provides a quantifiable and sustainable resource for New Jersey community association homeowners, managers, homebuilders, and developers," says Dawn M. Bauman, CAE, executive director of the Foundation for Community Association Research and CAI's senior vice president of government and public affairs. “It is apparent why residents want to live in a community association. The research shows that homeowners care about their community's reputation, have a sense of belonging, and take pride in their surroundings."

CAI is the only global organization establishing standards and offering best practices and world-class education for community association board members and managers. New Jersey has two CAI chapters and the CAI New Jersey Legislative Action Committee delivering critical resources, information, and guidance to people living and working in the state's community associations. Visit www.caionline.org/chapters  and www.caionline.org/NJLAC for more information.

The Foundation conducted similar surveys in 2005, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018. Results can be accessed at foundation.caionline.org.

View the 2020 Homeowners Satisfaction Survey- New Jersey report.

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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 the more than 350,000 homeowners associations, condominiums, and housing cooperatives in the United States and millions of communities worldwide. With more than 42,000 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, 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.

About the Foundation for Community Association Research

Our mission—with your support—is to provide research-based information for homeowners, community association board members, community managers, developers, and other stakeholders. Since the Foundation's inception in 1975, we've built a solid reputation for producing accurate, insightful, and timely information, and we continue to build on that legacy. Visit foundation.caionline.org.