Hoo, boy! In the interests of covering both sides, here’s a link to CAI’s recent promotional video. As you watch this, keep in mind that this 501c3 ‘non-profit’ organization is all about referrals, referring the personal savings of homeowners into the pockets of lawyers, property managers and others who pay dues to the CAI. There are massive profits being made through referrals from this ‘non-profit.’ I also note the connection with Associa, owned by the ethics-challenged state senator from Texas. It’s stomach-turning.
CAI is all about neighborhood governance without our historic Constitutional protections. Your home is your castle? Not when your castle is actually governed by a profit-motivated private corporation.
What is an HOA but a corporate investment scheme created by Developers with the intent of shielding them from liability and providing opportunities for ongoing income streams – a business that has been granted government powers by Statute, designed to put all power and control in the hands of Developers and Investors?
This video is a promo for CAI’s research institute, the people that bring us their self-evaluation survey report entitled “Verdict: Americans Grade their Associations, Board Members, and Community Managers” (the one that claims residents in HOAs are “overwhelmingly satisfied” based on a 64% positive rating) and their “Fact Book,” which is merely a collection of data pulled from the US Census.
The bulk of their research is advertising puffery and political propaganda.
CAI’s 33,000 members are encouraged to include an optional $10 -$25 donation to the Research Foundation in their membership fee. Considering that this video had less than 100 views prior to posting the link here, I would say there are not many members paying for research.
Intersting fact: A $15 “advocacy fee” is mandatory. Check it out here http://www.caionline.org/Pages/join.aspx
What is that mandatory fee used for?
“Every dollar of the mandatory $15 Advocacy Support Fee goes directly to states with Legislative Action Committees and supports the efforts of CAI to represent and protect our members on state legislative and regulatory issues.”
Really?
33,000 CAI members, only 40% of which are “homeowner volunteer leaders” -i.e. Board Members – compared to 65,000,000 residents. CAI represents a fraction of 1% of HOA residents.
The remaining 60% of members are trade professionals that earn their living working for HOAs, and I am finding out that most of them do note even live in an HOA!
Propaganda at it’s finest. How and why this “lobbyist firm” continues to hide behind a 501c3 is anyone’s guess. Our community stopped “contributing” to these infidels years ago. I consider this organization legalized pillagers, who take in millions of dollars and give nothing back to the homeowners in return. Oh, sorry, they do give back something, bad legislation that destroys the communities in which they claim to “represent.” –My bad.