The CAI California Legislative Action Committee’s 21^st Annual Legislative Day at the Capitol drew homeowners, community association managers and other professionals to Sacramento on April 6 and 7, to discuss legislation affecting homeowners associations with their elected representatives.

Homeowners association board members and managers attended educational sessions on April 6, while delegates of the California Legislative Action Committee (CLAC) met to discuss bills that affect their communities and prepare information to present to legislators. Industry professionals taught sessions on how a bill becomes law, the nuts and bolts of legislation and  FHA certification for condominiums. CLAC’s Sacramento advocate, Skip Daum, provided an analysis of the “hot bills” affecting homeowners associations in California.

On Monday, April 7, Zack Olmstead, Senior Assistant to incoming Speaker of the Assembly Toni Atkins of San Diego, delivered the keynote address. Assemblymember Atkins has focused on housing throughout her tenure in the Assembly, and will continue to do so as Speaker. CLAC delegates briefed participants on key pending legislation and Michael Hedge, Senior Director of  Government & Public Affairs for CAI National, discussed nationwide and federal issues.

Participants then walked to the State Capitol to meet with their own assemblymembers, senators and staff members, to provide input on pending bills affecting homeowners associations. Participants discussed AB 1360, sponsored by CAI, which would give associations the option to allow members to vote electronically, if they wish to do so. As the attendees gathered at the end of the day, they reported that legislators and their staff valued CAI’s input and recognized CAI as a key source of information on issues affecting homeowners associations.

More people than ever before attended the 2014 Legislative Day at the Capitol. CAI and CLAC also look forward to homeowners and managers communicating with their legislators throughout the legislative session, in writing and by personal visits to district offices throughout the state. This year’s Legislative Day at the Capitol and the grass roots efforts by homeowners all year long show the strength of the 9 million people who own homes in the 50,000 community associations in California.

John R. MacDowell is managing shareholder of Fiore, Racobs & Powers’ Orange County office and is a delegate to CLAC from the Orange County Regional Chapter of CAI. He serves as one of CLAC’s Legislative Co-Chairs.