Prioritizing advocacy initiatives and success is a strategic pillar of CAI’s mission. CAI’s legislative action committees are essential to achieving advocacy outcomes with positive impacts for the community association housing model. Modernizing how LACs operate to better serve CAI members, fostering collaboration between LACs and chapters, and strengthening CAI’s advocacy work are essential to these efforts.
Earlier this year the CAI Government and Public Affairs Committee convened a task force of LAC chairs, chapter executive directors, and members of the CAI Government & Public Affairs Committee to consider revisions to CAI’s LAC Operational Guidelines. These guidelines govern the delegate appointment process and the formation, operation, and governance of CAI’s legislative action committees. The guidelines are revised occasionally to better reflect operational realities. The work of the task force represents the first comprehensive update to the guidelines since 2012.
CAI’s Board of Trustees approved updates to the LAC delegate appointment process at its meeting Aug. 19 subject to a one-year transition period ending on Sept. 30, 2027. Additional updates to the LAC operational guidelines are still pending.
Approved updates to the delegate appointment process are:
- Routine oversight of LAC compliance is delegated from the CAI Board of Trustees to the CAI Government & Public Affairs Committee through LAC Operational Guidelines.
- The maximum number of LAC voting delegates increased to 30.
- All LAC delegates will now be appointed by chapter boards of directors. LACs can recommend candidates and chapter boards should give due consideration to these recommendations. The CAI Government & Public Affairs Committee will approve all delegate appointments.
- A structure for delegate appointments is established for single and multi-chapter states. Apportionment of LAC delegates in multi-chapter states can be based on proportional chapter membership in the state or by simple agreement on how many delegates each chapter will appoint to the LAC.
- All delegates will be appointed to staggered terms.
- Delegates from business partner members in a professional category (attorney, accountant, engineer, etc.) must have knowledge to ensure critical expertise is present on state LACs.
- The organizational chart has been revised to reflect these updates.
Following formal approval of changes to the delegate appointment process, the board established a one-year transition period ending on Sept. 30, 2027, to assist chapters and LACs to implement these changes.
To help CAI chapters and state LACs navigate this transition, this dedicated webpage has been created on the CAI website with the following information:
- Updated LAC Operational Guidelines with approved changes to the delegate appointment process and FAQs.
- A sample transition plan.
- Links to additional documents including the Delegate Conflict of Interest Policy, Annual Advocacy Plan, Emeritus Delegates Statement of Expectations, and more.
- A step-by-step guide outlining delegate appointment processes.
- Links to new online forms for delegate nominations, officer acceptance, and others.
As CAI navigates this transition, please do not hesitate to contact the CAI Government & Public Affairs team with your questions at government@caionline.org. The staff is here to assist LACs and chapters with implementing these changes over the next year. Our team will provide continuing updates as the CAI Board of Trustees considers additional updates to the LAC Operational Guidelines.
Visit the CAI website to learn more about CAI’s legislative action committees.
