As the summer months approach and several holidays draw near, community associations nationwide are bringing people together for community-driven events. Such festivities are just one example of why Americans living in homeowners associations, condominiums, and housing cooperatives say they’re overwhelmingly satisfied in their communities.
If your community is hosting an event this summer, tell us about your event so we can help invite elected officials to attend to learn more about the community association housing model. CAI’s ongoing Constituents in Your Communities campaign is an opportunity for community associations and community association management companies to strengthen their community and help educate key decision makers about the industry. Examples of events you might want to invite elected officials to include:
- Ice cream social
- Cookout or barbeque
- Outdoor movie
- Block party
- Pool party
- Town hall
- Annual community meeting
- Trade show
- Holiday celebrations: Memorial Day, Independence Day, Juneteenth, Labor Day, etc.
Community events are incredible opportunities for elected officials and their staff to experience the unique culture of your association and learn more about the issues impacting their constituents. Download CAI’s Constituents in Your Communities Guide to learn more about how to invite an elected official to an event in your community and why it’s so important.
Connect with your legislators while they’re in-district this summer. Congress traditionally takes a summer recess, often called the “district work period,” for most of August. The recess generally begins in early August and lasts until after Labor Day in September. Enshrined in the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970, this time is intended for elected officials to interact with constituents, host town halls, campaign, and engage in local business community outreach. This is a wonderful opportunity to attend events hosted by community associations.
Face-to-face interactions with constituents have more influence on lawmakers’ decisions than any other advocacy strategy. Research conducted by the Congressional Management Foundation shows that members of Congress consider site visits in their districts to be one of the most valuable ways to understand their constituents’ views. Both in-person and virtual visits can impact a legislator’s view on a particular issue.
Plan ahead. Elected officials are busy and have appointments booked back-to-back weeks in advance. We encourage you to let us know about events as soon as you know the date and location to maximize the chances of being added to their schedule. Tell us when and where your event will take place, and we’ll do the rest.
CAI proudly advocates for and represents the 78.1 million Americans living in 373,000 community associations. For nearly a decade, we’ve helped connect legislators with community associations across the United States with Constituents in Your Communities. Get inspired by reviewing summaries of past events here, here and here.
Have questions or need assistance reaching out to your elected officials? We’re here to help. Send us an email at government@caionline.org.
