As a board member, and sometimes in our role as the managing agent, we may get the impression that a disproportionate number of the membership are unhappy with a multitude of homeowner association issues. In response, we may have a tendency to get tunnel vision because it is sometimes human nature for people to complain early and often and praise sparingly.
With this in mind let us look at how more than 65 million Americans who live in homeowners associations and condominium communities feel about their own homeowners associations and condominium communities. Is the membership, as a whole, happy?
The Foundation for Community Association Research, an affiliate of Community Associations Institute (CAI), sponsored a recent national public opinion survey to answer these and other questions. Here are some of the key findings:
- 90% of residents rate their overall community association experience as positive (64%) or neutral (26%).
- 90% of residents say association board members “absolutely” or “for the most part” serve the best interests of their communities.
- 83% say they get along well with their immediate neighbors.
- 92% say they are on friendly terms with their association board members.
- 83% of residents say their community managers provide value and support to residents and their associations.
- 88% of residents who had direct contact with their community manager say it was a positive experience.
- 70% of residents say their association’s rules protect and enhance property value; only 4% say the rules harm property values.
More national survey results, which include comparative data from similar surveys in 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2014, are available at http://www.caionline.org/2014survey. WDMC