The Community Associations Institute (CAI) is participating in the launch of a new how-to legal newsletter, "Community Association Management Insider." The newsletter, which will be produced by Brownstone Publishers in consultation with CAI, features articles written especially for community associations and the people who manage them.

Says CAI Senior Vice President Kris Cook, "We are very excited about the launch of the 'Insider.' Anyone working in a community association will appreciate its easy to understand, step-by-step advice on the ever-changing laws of community associations, and how to keep a community running smoothly."

For 20 years, Brownstone Publishers, Inc., has been a pioneer in plain-English legal guidance for professional managers in the fields of real estate, property management, leasing, construction, health administration, and education. Their "how-to" newsletters, manuals, and books offer problem-solving advice to nonlawyers, complete with actual model contracts, leases, letters, and forms drafted by top attorneys nationwide.

Contributing to the newsletter will be CAI, a nonprofit association created in 1973 to provide education and resources to America's 231,000 community associations—condominium associations, homeowner associations and cooperatives. CAI members include homeowners, associations and the professionals who provide products and services to them.

In addition to informative feature articles, the "Community Association Management Insider" will feature tools, such as Model Collection Policies, Model Rules and Regulations, Model Notices, Employee Recruiting Aids, Model Contract Clauses, Risk Management Checklists, and other model agreements, model policies, master checklists and legal letters to help associations put solutions into action.

Some of the topics the "Insider" will cover include how to:

• boost on-time payment of assessments within the bounds of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act;
• avoid liability and get indemnity;
• effectively and economically take care of maintenance & repairs;
• get better deals from contractors, and negotiate and administer contracts;
• get the right insurance coverage;
• comply with fair housing laws and senior housing qualifications;
• establish effective community patrols and minimize liability for crime;
• propose & administer reasonable rules and regulations;
• evaluate risk and avoid premises liability claims;
• comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act;
• deal with telecommunications companies;
• comply with environmental protection laws;
• participate in mediation/ADR sessions;
• know which records to make public, and which to keep confidential;
• make the best use of technology;
• get and maintain professional licenses;
• negotiate and administer contracts;
• deal with municipal service providers;
• participate in litigation.

For more information on how to subscribe, contact: Ms. Joyce Lembo, Sales Manager, Brownstone Publishers, Inc., 149 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010, (888) 456-1696, custserv(at)brownstone.com.