Enough, the CAI Doesn't Represent HOAs and HOA Home Owners

Enough, the Community Association Institute doesn't represent Homeowners Associations (HOAs) or HOA home owners.  This organization represents the interests of HOA property managers (PMs) and the legal industry involved in HOA governance and representing HOA Boards in court.  No problem with this but the press, AARP, the legislature, and the general media get it all wrong.  In fact, the CAI is known among home owner advocacy groups as a mostly anti-home owner organization.

The Denver Post in the past months has published articles on the topic of construction defects and HOAs and the right of home owners to vote on the use of HOA funds prior to the HOA Board entering into costly and potentially financially devastating law suits.  The articles misleadingly indicated the CAI represents home owners and HOA organizations.  No evidence exists of any HOA organization or their organizing home owners to protect their interests.  The CAI opposed any mandate to have home owners vote on the use of their own funds in law suits. Is this pro home owners? 

Then there was the CAI's recent opposition to ending/limiting the HOA home sale Transfer Fee that has never been justified and is illegal on all home sales except in HOAs (wonder who got that exception into legislation?).  This fee lines the pockets of PMs (not HOAs), costs HOA home owners millions each year, and a PM can charge amounts ranging from $50 to $1150 for like services and the fee can't be negotiated by the home owner (and if not paid the home sale is held up).  Does this sound like they represent home owners?  Examples abound and can found on our web site www.coloradohoaforum.com

One final thought on this.  For the past decades the CAI in Colorado has been the primary if not the sole source on issues of HOA governance, home owner rights, and in writing HOA legislation.  They promoted their professionalism, altruism, and oversight of the HOA PM industry and were recognized leaders to our legislators.  As a result of their "leadership" and the thousands of PM related home owner complaints received by legislators and the State HOA Office, legislation was passed to clean up the PM industry.  Doesn't sound like leadership or protecting HOA home owner rights?

So enough of the CAI misrepresentation.  The press and our law makers should seek out the opinions of HOA home owners (organizations) in HOA issues and not simply default to those who profit and have the interests of PMs and lawyers as their focus.