Direct constituent interactions have more influence on lawmakers’ decisions than any other advocacy strategy. CAI members can leverage chapter events as opportunities to facilitate interactions between elected officials and constituents living and working in community associations. From trade shows to presentations and fundraisers, CAI chapters hold many events throughout the year in which legislators could be included.
CAI chapters hosting events should consider engaging legislators by inviting them to participate or attend to learn more about the community association housing model. Legislators can play various roles in CAI chapter events. To play an active role and share their perspectives with attendees, legislators may be invited to participate in a panel discussion or deliver brief remarks. Chapters may also invite elected officials and/or their staffs to simply attend and mingle with other members and industry experts to demonstrate how they’re overwhelmingly satisfied in their communities.
CAI’s ongoing Constituents in Your Communities campaign highlights the importance of using industry events as vital opportunities to educate key decision makers about our organization and the critical legislative advocacy work we do at the local, state, and federal levels.
Event Spotlight: Legislative Town Hall Luncheon Hosted by CAI’s Southeast Chapter
On May 12, CAI’s Southeast Chapter and Florida Legislative Alliance (FLA) held a Legislative Town Hall Luncheon. The event included a panel discussion focusing on important policy issues impacting community associations in the Sunshine State and beyond. This panel featured several speakers including:
- The Honorable Mayor Margaret Brown, mayor of the city of Weston;
- The Honorable Vice Mayor Ben Sorensen, vice mayor of the city of Fort Lauderdale;
- Jane Bolin, Esq., Peyton Bolin, former commissioner, vice mayor, and mayor of the city of Oakland Park and CAI FLA member;
- Phoebe Neseth, Esq., CAI vice president, government relations, public affairs & legal;
- Travis Moore, CAI FLA lobbyist, Moore Relations Inc.
The Sunshine State is home to approximately 9,500,000 Floridians living in 3,910,000 homes in more than 50,100 community associations. Mayors Brown and Sorensen both lead districts with high volumes of condo and homeowners associations. Knowing this, CAI and FLA have worked to form meaningful relationships and establish expertise in our industry. By sharing resources and educating key decision-makers on the community association housing model, CAI can help legislators understand the pertinent issues impacting their constituents and support the creation of laws and policies that help our industry thrive.
Make sure you’re subscribed to CAI’s Advocacy Blog to be the first to hear inspiring stories like these from CAI chapters. Reach out to government@caionline.org for help including legislators in your upcoming events. Not sure if an event you’re planning is a good fit? We’d be happy to discuss it with you and brainstorm ideas for inclusion by legislators.
