Our Local CAI World – Nearly 40 Years Ago


My involvement with CAI and our local chapter started in 1976. By then, several volunteer leaders had already formed the chapter and had begun the eort to educate local homeowners and their Board and Commiee leaders about this new style of community governance and living.


During the late 70’s and into the 1980’s, the basic principles and pracces for condominium and homeowners associaons were sll evolving. We looked to the Washington DC area, Florida, and California for guidance. CAI was the source for that informaon. The local chapter invested most of its me in an educaon mode using it as the “hook” to grow membership. Back then, board members and praconers both needed a lot of informaon to succeed – or at least to avoid making serious errors.


Today’s chapter leaders might nd it interesng that some of the challenges faced then are probably not too dierent from now. Many associaons knew nothing about the local chapter or CAI at all. Oen, those who did would enjoy an educaonal program but resist using associaon funds to join the organizaon. Many associaon leaders would tell their manager to aend programs and report back what they learned. And, some management rms made no eort to encourage their community leaders to aend CAI programs for fear those leaders might come into contact with others in the profession.


The single greatest dierence regarding local chapter operaons 30+ years ago from today was that organizaon totally depended upon volunteers. We had no separate oce or a paid person to administer to the local chapter needs in running programs, markeng, assisng members, providing informaon, and a myriad of other things today’s CAI chapter leaders take for granted from Tony and his sta. Back then, we were essenally a selfmanaged organizaon where the ocers did everything.


It was an excing and challenging me upon which a great local chapter was built. Today, tens of thousands of homeowners in our area enjoy the benets and lifestyle that associaon communies oer because they are being operated by what we all created during those early years.


Steve Castle, CMCA, AMS, PCAM CEO Emeritus


Associa MidAtlanc, AAMC (MidAtlanc Management Corporaon)


Community Associaons Instute Chapter President, 1982


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