Community Associations Institute (CAI) estimates that in 1970 there were 10,000 community associations nationwide. Today, there are 205,000 community associations housing 42 million Americans. A community association functions as a business, a governance structure and a community.

Traditionally, these functions were applied as follows: business meant austerity; governance meant compliance; and community meant conformity. Community Associations Factbook, 1999 edition, explains how associations today are seeking prudence in business, justice in governance and harmony in community to provide an enjoyable, vibrant lifestyle for homeowners and residents. You’ll also find information on the history, current population and future trends of community associations in the U.S.

• Nearly one out of every six Americans (42 million) lives in a community association.
• There are an estimated 205,000 community associations in the United States providing 16.4 million housing units.
• Since 1970, approximately one in every three new residential units built in the United States was built in a development with a community association.
• In the largest metropolitan areas, more than 50 percent of new home sales are in community associations.
• Each year, 6,000 to 8,000 new community associations are formed.
• Community associations can range in size from as small as a three-unit condominium or cooperative to large-scale planned communities with more than 10,000 units.
• 1.25 million Americans serve on a community association Board.
• About half of all monthly, community association assessment charges fall into the $100 to $199 range.

ECONOMIC IMPACT

• The real estate value of all community associations and their units exceeds $1.8 trillion, more than 15% of the value of all U.S. residential real estate and almost 9% of the estimated value of all U.S. real estate.
• The total annual operating assessment revenues for all community associations in the U.S. approaches $25 billion. Most of this is spent in the associations’ local economies for products and services.
• An estimated $540 billion in total reserves (funds set aside for future repairs) for all community associations is invested in the U.S. economy.