Condominium, cooperative and homeowners association leaders and the professionals who serve them will arrive in Austin April 23 for three days of information-packed educational sessions at the Community Associations Institute's 44th national conference. More than 500 community association managers, attorneys, accountants, engineers, builder/developers, insurance and risk management professionals and homeowners will sample Austin's cultural attractions while learning about the latest trends and issues in the industry.
"The number of community associations in Texas has exploded over the past few years as developers recognize the home-buying public's desire for strong neighborhoods responsive to the needs of their residents," said Marjorie J. Meyer, CMCA, PCAM, a community association manager with Prime Site Inc., Houston, and a member of CAI's Board of Trustees. "No where else can homeowners, community leaders, developers, managers, attorneys and other community association practitioners find they need to know about successfully planning and operating a condominium or deed-restricted subdivision than at the nuts-and-bolts programs conducted at CAI conferences."
Forty-two million Americans live in community associations today, and that number is growing rapidly; an estimated 50 percent of new residential construction projects in metropolitan areas are common interest developments. CAI members gather twice a year to review the latest trends in tactics for promoting community satisfaction, successful management techniques and financial "best practices," as well as legal, accounting, legislative and regulatory issues.
Top issues at the 44th conference include:
Building community spirit. Featuring an encore performance of "Championing Community Excellence," top-rated session at CAI's 43rd conference, and sessions on dealing with difficult people, mediation, team building and "Confessions of a Board Member." Dealing with disaster. From "What to Do When the Roof Falls In" to "Managing Building Problems Effectively" and resolving construction defect litigation. Planning ahead. A sneak preview of CAI's new Reserves Specialist designation, plus strategic planning, safety audits and conducting reserve studies. Legal and regulatory roundup. Hear the latest on FCC rules on cable TV, satellite dishes and inside wiring; risk and liabilities in new technologies; member bankruptcy; fair debt collection practices; and community association tax rates. Community association homeowners, board members, and managers are encouraged to attend Community Associations Day, Saturday, April 25, 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., featuring in-depth sessions on pool landscaping and maintenance, insurance from A to Z and legal matters for associations.
For more information, call CAI Central at 703/548-8600.
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 the professionals who provide products and services to them.