Condo and HOA advocates will take to Capitol Hill Thursday with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac lending rules in their sights as they push lawmakers on reforms around financing, affordability, insurance and disaster recovery.
The Community Associations Institute (CAI) is hosting its 2026 Congressional Advocacy Summit, a national lobbying day during which the group says hundreds of community association advocates from across the country will meet directly with members of Congress and congressional staff.
CAI says more than 78.1 million Americans live in 373,000 community associations encompassing 29.6 million homes. The associations, which include homeowners associations, condominium communities and housing cooperatives, represent more than one-third of U.S. housing stock.
The group said it plans to focus Thursday’s efforts on:
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac condo lending rules: CAI is asking lawmakers to support a one-year delay of upcoming condominium lending changes from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The group argues additional time is needed to educate volunteer boards and says the changes could increase costs, reduce lender participation and limit financing for some buyers and communities.
Condo safety and financing: The group is seeking support for H.R. 9569, the Making Condos Safer and Affordable Act, which would expand access to federally backed financing for condominium associations and unit owners to fund structural repairs and safety improvements. CAI is also seeking a Senate sponsor for companion legislation.
Disaster recovery: CAI is backing H.R. 4669, the FEMA Act of 2025, and H.R. 9159, the Protect Our Homes Act, which the organization says would help community associations finance recovery and rebuild following disasters.
The June 2021 collapse of Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Florida, which killed 98 people, marked a major turning point in scrutiny of condominium safety, deferred maintenance and association finances. Fannie Mae subsequently introduced new requirements for condo and co-op projects, citing concerns about aging buildings and significant deferred maintenance in the wake of the collapse.
CAI also plans to press lawmakers on housing and insurance affordability and is supporting a full repeal of the Corporate Transparency Act.
“Housing affordability and access to mortgage financing must be part of that conversation,” CAI CEO Dawn Bauman said in the announcement ahead of the summit.
