It is an exciting time to be a member of the Connecticut Apartment Association, and I am honored to serve in a leadership role. Ideas imagined years ago have gained momentum. There has been growth in every area of the organization, including advocacy, networking opportunities, website enhancements, social media presence, staffing, and most importantly, our membership base. In 2015, the Connecticut Apartment Association Board set our strategic direction for the near future by defining organizational objectives. Over the years, we have continued to meet, prioritize, and re-prioritize, setting building blocks for succession planning, innovative ideas, and short-term and long-term goals. We will continue to focus on the value and support we deliver to our members, sharing knowledge, and fostering committee volunteer involvement.

Most recently, we met in Glastonbury at the Tannery and presented the American Red Cross with our bi-annual donation for our Ready 365 Partnership. The American Red Cross is an amazing organization that continues to benefit our communities and residents when in time of need. Our generous volunteers at this event put together first aid kits to be used by volunteers supporting individuals in the field.

The CTAA also had a presence at the Legislative Office Building, weighing in about our concerns for our residents regarding the recent increase in crime in our parking lots. All CT residents were impacted by the changes to the criminal justice system a few years ago, with a spike in personal property crimes. The CTAA served to advocate for our residents and all community members in the State of Connecticut; this problem affects multifamily housing residents and all homeowners alike.

We are excited to enter a new fiscal year. We have planned many great offerings for you from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023. Visit our website often to see upcoming events and training opportunities, recent news, and legislative updates, and connect to advocacy efforts. In addition, we have restructured our annual dues by creating annual sponsorship packages to provide you with more benefits and opportunities. Please keep an eye out for communication on this and your renewal, and of course, update your team members and contact information in your membership portal if anything has changed.

CTAA is here to help build and grow expectational Apartment professionals. Thank you for being part of our community and supporting the growth of our industry. I look forward to seeing you at our next event!