CLAC organizes “grass-roots” letters, emails and phone communications with legislators regarding important CID-related issues and proposed laws.  You can sign up on the CLAC website to receive these communications.

On the CLAC website, you can sign up for CLAC’s blog or CLAC Trac and review the Hot Bills Blog. CLAC’s blog articles and CLAC Trac provide additional information regarding the Hot Bills that are being monitored by CLAC and that will have a significant impact on community associations if passed.

There may be times when our advocate asks you to make visits to your Legislator’s local district office.  Meeting with your Legislator, or one of their staffers, in their district office helps to reinforce CAI-CLAC’s message.  So that you have a successful meeting, here are a few suggestions:

a.  Confirm the day before, not just the appointment, but with whom you will be meeting. Legislators’ schedules are constantly changing, and things may need to shift last-minute.

b.   Before the appointment, collect the items you would like to take with you. In an effort not to overwhelm the legislator or their staff member(s), plan on handing them the top five items. Be prepared with the other items as you see fit, so if they come up in conversation, you will have them available to show to the legislator and their staff. Don’t worry if you don’t have something with you for this meeting. It is an excellent excuse to return to their office at a later date, and begin building a relationship with the people in the office.

c.  Top 5 Items to Take: (1) Your Business Cards (one for each legislative staff member); (2) any current Legislative issues. Contact Louie Brown about a week in advance of your visit at advocate@caiclac.com to obtain the most current talking points. If there are no pressing legislative issues, you can still talk to your legislator about CAI and CLAC so we can be a future resource; (3) copy of the ADR and IDR procedures in Civil Code (many legislators pass legislation because their constituents say there is “no other recourse”; (4) Public Opinions Strategy Poll “Verdict” – let your legislator know community association residents are largely happy with their homeowners association; and (5) Upcoming Chapter Educational Luncheon/Event flyer or Chapter Calendar.

d.  Once you have your items compiled, make sure you have enough handouts to give the legislator and one or two of their staff, as well as the people attending the meeting with you, including yourself. While you don’t want to be reading off a piece of paper to present CLAC’s mission and/or position on a particular issue, you should have a resource on your topic(s) in front of you to help guide the conversation.

e.  Before the appointment, have a meeting or conference call with the other people involved in the meeting, and decide who will be the “point person.” It is often easier for the legislator to follow if they have one main person to listen to, with “color” (examples and small, short add-ins) added by the other attendees. If there is a person who has already begun a relationship with the legislator or staff, they would be the ideal person to take “point.”

CLAC operates solely from contributions of California members of CAI and other donations. Thus, you can make a donation. In addition, you can volunteer your time and participate in the various events hosted by CLAC. Signup and support our grass roots efforts. CLAC organizes “grass-roots” efforts to communicate en masse with legislators over topics that are particularly important to community associations.

Support CLAC through the Buck-a-Door program.  Every dollar helps and donations can be made online at our website or be sent to 1809 S Street, Suite 101-245, Sacramento, CA 98511 with checks written to CAI-CLAC.  Your efforts and monetary contributions are very much appreciated and your HOA members will feel involved, enabled and informed

In addition to making a donation and your community making a donation, you may consider joining one of the various committees.

a.  Legislative Strategy & Research Committee:  The Legislative Strategy & Research Committee (LSRC) has been created to support the legislative agenda of CLAC through forward planning, development of strategy, and research. The LSRC plays a lead role in supporting CLAC’s legislative agenda by soliciting, tracking and evaluating ideas from CAI supporters in California. The LSRC will also handle research projects as needed in order to support CLAC’s more ambitious long-term goals. As supporters of CLAC, your input, suggestions, and ideas for legislation are vital to the success of the LSRC. Please email any questions, comments, suggestions and/or ideas to LSRC@caiclac.com or complete the “There Ought to be a Law” suggestion form.

b.  Public Relations Committee:  This committee is responsible for increasing public awareness of CLAC through use of social and traditional media, and for mobilizing grass roots emergency responses to pending legislation. They also help to plan and organize our annual Legislative Day at the Capitol. If you are interested in participating in this committee, please contact our PR Chair at PRChair@caiclac.com

c.  Topic Subcommittees:  Topic Subcommittees have been established to take a leadership role in analyzing legislation assigned to them by the Legislative Advocate, recommending amendments and a position on each assigned legislation, and staying in close communication with the Legislative Advocate.  The various topics include Assessments & Foreclosures; Board Rights & Responsibilities; Builder, Developer, Contractor; CA Law Revision Commission; Dispute Resolution; Environment & Conservation; Management; and Governing Documents.

d.  Ad Hoc Committees:  New committees are formed as needed to participate in discussions regarding new bills that affect community associations in California.