Community Associations Institute

Public Perception, Member Recruitment & Legislative Support

Denver, Colorado

Project Overview

Through a competitive bid process, Sigler Communications was hired by the Community Associations Institute (CAI) to improve public perception of homeowner associations (HOAs). CAI is the professional trade association for Colorado HOAs and its members include HOA/board members, HOA managers and businesses that support HOAs including attorneys. CAI also asked Sigler to assist their lobbying team to help pass or defeat bills that would help or harm HOAs.

Sigler Communications' Role

Sigler Communications developed a comprehensive public relations plan that included media relations and social media to help influence public opinion around HOAs. We work directly with the association’s legislative action committee to help defeat legislation that would weaken current homeowner protections related to construction defects.

We leveraged our excellent, established relationship with KUSA 9News, the number one rated station in Colorado, to create “HOA Line 9.” This is a call-in program that has been on air for the last 9 years and utilizes CAI volunteers to answer calls from viewers who have a problem with their HOA. This program positions CAI and HOAs as helpful and informative and has helped increase the associations membership.

We also develop productive relationships with newspapers and TV stations statewide by positioning CHI members to serve as third-party experts on any and all HOA-related issues including controlling marijuana growing/consumption, homeowner rights/responsibilities, power wielded by HOAs and occasional abuse of those powers.

We work with CAI’s lobbying team to help defeat legislation for the four consecutive years that would have removed homeowners’ rights to sue their builder for construction defects at condominiums and townhomes. We develop communications distributed to state legislators at the beginning of each session explaining how changes in current construction defects laws will harm homeowners. We have also placed numerous editorials and stories on behalf of our client showing both homeowners and legislators why changes to current laws will enable builders to build defective developments with no accountability.

Results

CAI has increased membership by more than 20 percent with our support. Although there is still some negative public perception of HOAs, CAI has positioned itself as part of the solution, not the problem. Harmful legislation has been defeated four consecutive years.