Guest Blog Post By Renée Osburn, President with Sunnymead Ranch PCA, CAI Greater Inland Empire Chapter
A Rollercoaster of Nerves, Pride, and Purpose
Let me start off by expressing my gratitude to CAI-CLAC for sponsoring my attendance at this year’s Advocacy Week. From the moment I got that email—“Congratulations, you’ve been selected!”—my stomach was doing backflips. Excitement, nerves, maybe a bit of fear. Would I say the right thing? Would legislators even care what we had to say? But the pride was stronger than the nerves. I was ready to represent.
I’ll be honest: I didn’t expect to be so moved by the experience. I’d been to conferences before—plenty of them, in fact. But this was different. This was Sacramento, the Capitol, and I wasn’t just attending. I was showing up for my community, for Sunnymead Ranch’s 2,677 families, and for every neighbor who’s ever asked, “Why would our lawmakers pass a law like that and what did my HOA do about it?” Turns out, a whole lot.
Getting There: Planes, Rideshares, Old and New Friends
The adventure started at Sacramento Airport, I shared an Uber with two other attendees, and let’ just say it was a bit cozy buckling-up in the back seat! 😜 We checked in at the Hyatt Regency Sacramento, I dropped my bag, grabbed my name badge, and already I felt like I was part of something bigger. The meeting room was alive with energy – vendors (a great big shout out!) and fellow attendees everywhere.
Learning the Ropes: Bill Briefing and Teamwork
Some CAI-CLAC members were already attending Senate Housing Committee Hearings, which were live streamed into our meeting room. We were able to view the rollcall for “Opposition or Support” of SB 677 (lot splitting bill).
The real work started almost immediately. Our group of approximately 80 were assigned to teams and given info packets to become familiar with. Louie Brown, our tireless CAI-CLAC lobbyist, broke down the bills we’d be challenging. I scribbled notes, already picturing myself in those meetings. That night, over a glass of wine, conversation kept circling back to our HOAs and the importance of our advocacy.
Game Day: Hitting the Capitol
I had been warned that we would be doing a lot of walking, standing, and even conducting meetings in hallways. Donning my best-looking athletic footwear, business casual attire and my “I ❤️ my HOA” pin, I set off for the breakfast meeting.
We did a final run through of the bills, points to discuss, and the timeline for day. The excitement in the room was evident, we were ready to go! As our group gathered for photos on the Capitol steps, I felt nothing but pride. We looked like a team—diverse, determined, and totally committed.
Security checks, elevator lines, then suddenly—we were in. Seven meetings, each one a blur of introductions, handshakes, and heartfelt pitches. Some legislators or representatives got it immediately, nodding along, sharing their own HOA stories. Others listened, asked questions, and I could see their wheels turning.
The Bills That Hit Home
Two bills really caught my attention for Sunnymead Ranch:
- AB 21 would require individual notices for each meeting, over and above our current website posting, clubhouse posting, and eblasts. This bill would cost my community $73,000 a year in postage alone without any benefit to the members I serve.
- SB 681 wants to cap violation fines at $100. Been there, done that! It’s frustrating that as an HOA director it is my job to enforce our governing documents, but without reasonable fines, we have no effective way to do that, other than to file lawsuits. In the past, my community’s violation fines maxed out at $100, and our 40-year-old community showed significant signs of neglect and disrepair. After numerous pleas from homeowners to “do something,” we updated our policy, practices, and increased fines. I am happy to say that we are going in the right direction, based on homeowners’ feedback noting marked improvement and “pride of ownership” returning.
Wrapping Up: Community and Connections
After a whirlwind day, we capped things off with a “Meet the Delegates” event, a quick awards ceremony, and—you guessed it—another glass of wine. I was now surrounded by new friends—exhausted but exhilarated. I’d done it, we’d all done it. We showed up, we spoke up, and we were heard.
The next morning, our debrief was full of laughs and a sense that we’d made an impact. I left Sacramento feeling fired up, inspired, and a little more connected—to my neighbors, to fellow HOA leaders, and to the big, messy process of democracy. Advocacy Week wasn’t just a trip. It was a reminder that ordinary people actually can make a difference and I look forward to Sunnymead Ranch joining future Advocacy Weeks.
If you haven’t already done so, we urge you to take a moment to sign up for CAI-CLAC email updates to stay informed. You can also follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube for real-time updates on legislative news, resources, event updates, or legislative action. You can also continue to find any legislative call to actions on our Current Campaigns page.
2025 Advocacy Week In Person Photo Gallery
