Many Thanks

TO OUR ANNUAL SPONSOR S!

2023 Diamond Sponsors

Atlantic Maintenance Group

Becht Engineering BT, Inc.

ETC, Inc

Hann & Hann Construction Services

Kris Konstruction Roofing Professionals

Mid Atlantic Asphalt, Inc.

MillerDodson Associates, Inc.

Minkoff Company

North Arundel Contracting, Inc.

Pinnacle Financial Partners

Rees Broome, PC

RoofPRO, LLC

Sahouri Insurance

The Falcon Group Engineers, Architects & Reserve Specialists

Tidewater Property Management, Inc., AAMC

2023 Platinum Sponsors

Davis, Agnor, Rapaport & Skalny

EJF Real Estate Services

FirstService Residential

Nagle & Zaller, P.C.

Palmer Brothers Painting & General Contracting

SI Restoration

Simmerer Insurance LLC

Unlimited Restoration, Inc.

Whiteford, Taylor & Preston

WPM Real Estate Management

2023 Gold Sponsors

Connie Phillips Insurance

Truist Association Services

Pacific Premier Bank Community Association Banking

Condominium Venture, Inc.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), has become a strong focus in many companies, building a strong and happy workforce. It would stand to reason then, that to build a strong and happy community, including DEI tools in the daily management of these communities would be beneficial. In 2019, the CAI Board of Trustees adopted a DEI Statement, “Community Associations Institute is committed to making diversity, equity, and inclusion a core aspect in our membership, on our staffs, and within the community association housing model at large. (To read the rest of this statement, please visit, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Statement (caionline.org)”. These are important values that all communities should strive for; the concept of promoting and celebrating diversity within a community, while also ensuring that all individuals are treated with fairness and respect. This includes recognizing and addressing any systemic barriers or inequalities that may prevent certain individuals or groups from fully participating and thriving in their community

Unfortunately, the rise in discrimination cases within community associations has made incorporating DEI challenging. In many communities, there are still significant disparities and injustices that need to be addressed to create a truly inclusive and equitable environment. For example, some individuals may face discrimination or unequal treatment due to their race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or other identity. This can lead to feelings of exclusion and marginalization, which can have a negative impact on individuals and the community.

In 2020, The Foundation for Community Association Research investigated the extent of discrimination claims in community associations to determine if communities with robust communications and active social events calendars would have fewer problems. The guide for creating harmony in communities was created based on that research. CAIDiverseCommunitiesGuide041521.pdf (caionline. org). The findings of this research determined that CAI should create training and education that covers several aspects of diversity and discrimination: formal procedures for handling the issues; events and communication; state and federal laws; relevant court cases; and managing complaints between residents and those directed at the board. The full report is available on CAI’s website at, https://foundation. caionline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/ FCARCreatingHarmonyReport032521.pdf. By educating ourselves and others about the issues and challenges that some individuals may face, we can gain a better understanding of the ways in which we can work together to create a more inclusive and equitable community. This can include learning about the history and experiences of marginalized communities and participating in discussions and events that promote DEI. https://www.caionline.org/HomeownerLeaders/ Pages/Diverse%20Communities.aspx

As a property manager or management company, incorporating the lessons learned from the Foundation’s research is an important factor in creating harmony within your communities. CAI has several resources available to aid in integrating this information into daily management. The following link will take you to these resources.

Written by: Dani Bressler, CAS, EBP, Toepfer Construction Co., Inc dbressler@toepferco.com & Elisabeth Kirk, TRC Engineering, EBP ekirk@trc-engineering.com