The arrival of August means Congress is on its annual summer recess. During this break, members leave Washington D.C., and return to their home districts for a few weeks. During this month, legislators meet with constituents to discuss important issues, campaign, and show support for their party.
August is an ideal time for constituents’ voices to be heard by legislators. During this period, community associations, managers, and homeowners are encouraged to directly connect with members of Congress, state and local officials, and their staff to amplify industry voices and educate lawmakers on home soil.
This year represents a critical election cycle in the United States. Not only is it a presidential election year, all House of Representative seats are up for reelection. Thirty-three of 100 Senate seats will be decided during the general election in November. Thirteen gubernational races will take place this year, and 43 states are holding state house elections. This is a vital time to use your voice as a community association advocate. CAI Advocacy is here to support your grassroots outreach now through the November election.
Here are a few simple tips for advocating during the August recess and CAI resources to assist you and your associations with these efforts:
- Connect with elected officials directly. Use CAI’s Elected Officials Directory to learn who your elected officials are at the federal and state levels here. Once you find your elected officials, tell them via email, phone call, or social media why you support community associations, and why this housing model needs to be a priority for them.
- Schedule an in-person meeting with your elected officials. Send lawmakers an email asking for a constituent meeting while they are home to discuss issues important to the community association housing model.
- Follow your elected officials on social media. Find your elected officials via CAI’s elected officials webpage, visit their website, find their social media handles and give them a follow.
- Attend town halls or public office hours. During August many elected officials attend state and local fairs, festivals, and other grassroots events. They also hold public office hours at their district offices. Attend these events, introduce yourself, and explain why the community association housing model is critical to their district.
- Constituents In Your Communities. August is an ideal time to invite elected officials and their staff to events in your community so they see first-hand the value an association provides to homeowners in their district. Community events are a great opportunity for state and federal elected officials to get to know their constituents, experience local community spirit, and learn what issues are important to communities. Direct constituent interactions have more influence on lawmakers’ decisions than any other advocacy strategy. After all, politics begin on the local level. Inviting elected officials to interact with your community will put faces behind the issues and make CAI a more effective advocate when we meet with them throughout the year. Connect with CAI today to have us assist you with this invitation here.
- Visit CAI’s Action Center to see what current campaigns are running on the federal level and in your state that impact community associations here.
- Connect with your local CAI chapter to see what events are being held in August. You may be able to invite an elected official. CAI’s chapters and executive director contact information can be found here.
- Follow CAI on X, Facebook, and LinkedIn to keep up with the latest resources and information on CAI’s advocacy efforts and how to continue to educate lawmakers.
Get Involved Today. Please contact CAI’s Government and Public Affairs team directly at government@cainonline.org to receive assistance in any of these outreach efforts today.
