Summer 2026 is officially underway. As the weather gets warmer and we celebrate summer holidays, community associations nationwide are planning events to bring people together, celebrate community, and inspire professionalism, effective leadership, and responsible citizenship. Community events are incredible opportunities for elected officials and their staff to experience the unique culture of your association and learn more about the community association industry and the issues impacting it.

Inviting elected officials to these events is an easy way to build critical relationships with lawmakers and their staff and spread the word about CAI and its resources. CAI’s Constituents in Your Communities campaign is an opportunity for community associations and management companies to bring advocacy into their backyards.

Event Spotlight: Memorial Day Champagne Brunch and Pool Party

On May 25, Lake Forest Community Association in Lake Forest, Calif., hosted its annual Memorial Day champagne brunch and pool party event. This fun social event featured refreshments and live music. At least 450 people attended including local homeowners and community association residents and their friends and families. A champagne brunch was served to community members in the morning followed by live music performances by local bands, games, activities for people of all ages, and food trucks to enjoy throughout the remainder of the day.

Community members reached out to CAI for help inviting elected officials to this event, and after meeting with the event organizers and discussing details, CAI extended invitations to elected officials representing the community at the state and federal levels. CAI has access to tools and resources allowing us to get in direct contact with legislators at every level, increasing the likelihood of response to constituent requests like these.

Legislators and/or members of their staff were informed about the event and invited to attend with the option to help serve brunch to attendees in the morning. We are thrilled that a state senator attended the event with several members of his staff and helped serve brunch to community members, as well as a staff member from a congressional office.

This event presented a great opportunity for legislators to have face-to-face interactions with attendees living in their districts and discuss the community association housing model.

Outcomes and Ongoing Engagement

• Positive response from elected officials. Legislators are particularly busy, even during the summer months. While not every legislator invited was able to attend, several responded to the invitation with enthusiasm and grace for the opportunity to interact with constituents. Ultimately, California state Sen. Steven Choi attended with multiple members of his team as well as a representative from Congresswoman Young Kim’s office.
• Legislative advocacy: CAI’s California Legislative Action Committee has been working diligently to oppose SB 1007, state legislation that caps common interest community annual assessment increases at the rate of inflation unless authorized by a member vote. At this event, CAI members discussed this legislation and its negative impacts more in-depth with Sen. Choi, who confirmed he was hearing from a large volume of constituents on the issue.
• Strategic connections. The association’s current board vice president, who is running for local city council in Lake Forest, had the opportunity to serve brunch next to Sen. Choi, allowing him to network and connect with local leadership and discuss local and state politics and legislation. Choi also expressed interest in staying connected with the incoming president of CAI’s Orange County Chapter as he continues to consider legislation impacting his constituents living and working in community associations.
• Collaborative programming. The community that hosted the event will continue to communicate with the legislative offices that attended and hopes to host future events in which they are involved including issue briefings on topics such as Alzheimer’s disease and fraud.

Direct constituent interactions like these have more influence on lawmakers’ decisions than any other advocacy strategy. Your elected officials need to hear from constituents like you about important issues impacting those living and working in their districts.

Together, we can strengthen relationships with key policymakers and positively influence policy. Let us know about an event you’re hosting or attending by submitting this form or reaching out to government@caionline.org.