Illinois
THE NEED FOR CONTINUOUS ENGAGEMENT
LEGISLATIVE ACTION COMMITTEE CHALLENGES of ADVOCACY and
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
By Patrick T. Costello, Co-Chair of the Community Associations Institute’s Illinois Legislative Action Committee
On May 31, 2026, the 2026 legislative session for the State of Illinois came to a close. A veto session is scheduled for every fall, but the meat of the legislative session happens between January and the end of May each year. The later in the session, the more work there is to do. While the session ended, the work of the Illinois CAI Legislative Action Committee does not end. Conversations continue with our lobbyist, with legislative staff and with the legislators themselves. Fundraisers for legislators continue to occur and donations are sought from CAI’s Political Action Committee.
With all these functions and efforts each year, I am reminded by how little staff and legislators understand about the workings of community associations, their boards, and the business partners who represent and support them. The community association world is a rather insular community (pun intended). Those of us who spend our daily lives working in the community association industry become immersed in all aspects of associations and, sometimes, it is hard to appreciate that our knowledge is not widely known.
Like most businesses the ratio between calls of support and appreciation to those of complaints and frustration is disproportionate. Similarly, legislators and their staff continuously hear for constituents with a complaint about a community association, its board, its managing company and even its attorneys. Those complaints, singularly as they might be, have a tendency to turn into draft bills or at least calls for new legislation. Alternatively, unless really bad pieces of legislation are advancing, legislators and their staff rarely hear from anyone appreciating the work of their association or noting that most people who live in associations are happy with their boards and managing agents.
22 | COMMON INTEREST®
Noise and loud voices have a tendency to get results. That is why it is critical that each member of CAI Illinois, each business partner of CAI Illinois, and any member of a community association in Illinois who meets with their elected representatives tell them about the good work being done in community associations. Our engagement must remain supportive and continuous.
The Foundation for Community Association Research conducts a Homeowner Satisfaction Survey every two years. In 2026, the results of the survey showed that:
• 86% rate their overall community association experience as positive or neutral
• 82% say their board serves the best interests of the community
• 77% say they get along well with their neighbors
• 75% say their community manager provides value and support
See
https://foundation.caionline.org/research/survey_ homeowner/.
The statistics bear out what those of us working with community associations have always understood – a significant majority of people who live in community associations have a positive experience. However, these are not the stories being shared with our legislators or their staff. We need to make sure our voices are heard as well. Please engage regularly with your legislative representatives and remind them that satisfaction with community associations and their managing agents is significantly higher than most industries. This engagement is a year-round responsibility. Please help the Legislative Action Committee spread the word.
• Fall 2026 • A Publication of CAI-Illinois Chapter
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