CAI’s Gold Star Community program recognizes communities that  work hard to develop and maintain standards, encourage community participation, maintain fiscal stability and positively impact the quality of life for residents. Homeowners and managers believe Gold Star is an excellent way to evaluate policies and procedures, and assure that their associations are operating within basic industry standards.

But don’t take our word for it. Here’s what members are saying about the Gold Star program:

“As a community manager, I find the Gold Star application to be a valuable tool. I use it to determine how the association and management are operating. Is the board periodically updating the reserve analysis? Does the board adequately keep homeowners informed? Is the association sufficiently insured? The application process helps me ensure the association is meeting its responsibilities.”  –Pat Connolly, PCAM, The Wentworth Group

“The Board at Traditions at Skippack view the Gold Star program as a highly regarded standard for excellence in all facets of community management. Receiving this award confirms to our residents that their community is being managed to the highest standards in the industry. This award also makes our community much more appealing to prospective residents, resulting in strong property values.” –Tom Adamski, President, Traditions at Skippack

To request an application for Gold Star Community recognition, or to learn how CAI is working for homeowners and community associations, please call the Pennsylvania & Delaware Valley Chapter office, toll-free, at 1.877.608.9777 or click here to download an application. The current application period ends October 1, 2010. Don’t delay! Apply today! The next round of Gold Star winners will be recognized at CAI’s holiday party in December.

For a list of current Gold Star Communities, click here.

Over the course of the last ten years, CAI has from time to time engaged a national research firm to study whether or not people who choose to live in an association governed community are happy or not. The results of the latest study by Zogby International reveal similar results to the initial study conducted in 1999 by the Gallup organization. The basic finding is this – those who live in community associations are happy with the lifestyle they’ve chosen, contrary to some stories that are sensationalized in the press and that would make one believe the opposite is true.

For the complete article and information, click here to visit CAI’s national website.

The Pocono Record published an article on Sunday July 5th that sums up the reasons why the state legislature just approved HR350 calling for a study of private communities in Pennsylvania.

The article quotes Reps. Scavello and Siptroth from the Poconos, as well CAI’s Executive Director Tony Campisi regarding the need and usefulness of this study which will take place in the coming months.  CAI believes this statewide study of private communities is the first of its kind in the nation.

The study will examine the number of association-governed communities in all 67 counties in the Commonwealth and measure the amount of state and municipal taxes paid by owners in these communities as well as the impact of any effort by the Commonwealth to provide access to public funds for infrastructure improvements within these communities. CAI will assist with the study.

Click here to read the article in the Pocono Record.

Welcome to the Pennsylvania and Delaware Valley Chapter of Community Associations Institute’s new blog. We’re calling our blog @ Home – CAI’s Public Square.

@ Home will be a great place for members and non-members of CAI alike to turn to for the latest information concerning common interest communities – homeowner associations, condo associations, etc., specifically as it relates to what’s going on in Pennsylvania, Northern Delaware, and Southern New Jersey; but also dealing with national news regarding the industry.

@ Home is just one of the many ways the PA / DelVal Chapter is attempting to extend our outreach to our member and non-member audience.  You can also now follow us on Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/caipadelval or friend us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Cai-Pennsylvania-Delaware-Valley/1842146400 or add us as a professional contact on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/communityassociationspadelval.

Our chapter website: www.cai-padelval.org continues to be the primary way to obtain information about us and our programs; however, we hope that these additional outlets will enable us to reach an even wider audience.