• Estimated number of association-governed communities, individual housing units and residents within those communities:

Year		Communities		Housing Units		Residents
1970		10,000		701,000		2.1 million
1980		36,000		3.6 million		9.6 million
1990		130,000		11.6 million		29.6 million
2000		222,500		17.8 million		45.2 million
2002		240,000		19.2 million		48.0 million
2004		260,000		20.8 million		51.8 million
2005		274,000		22.1 million		54.6 million

Association-governed communities include homeowners associations, condominiums, cooperatives and other planned communities. Homeowners associations and other planned communities account for 55-60% of the totals above, condominiums for 35-40% and cooperatives for 5-7%.

• More than 54 million Americans live in association-governed communities. At least 1.25 million people serve on community association boards, with another 300,000-plus serving as committee members.
   
• Estimated annual operating revenue for U.S. community associations is more than $35 billion.
   
• The value of the homes in all community associations is estimated at $3.5 trillion.

Community associations have become increasingly popular because they help protect home values and help meet increased demand for privatization of services as public officials off-load services that were traditionally provided by government, e.g., trash pickup, snow removal, landscaping, street lighting and street and sidewalk maintenance.

Many communities maintain swimming pools, tennis courts, playgrounds and other amenities that most Americans cannot afford on their own. Many community associations also provide security, social activities, clubhouses, walking trails and lakes and ponds.

Planned communities often provide a more efficient use of land than communities that are developed one home at a time. In addition to addressing sprawl, these efficiencies often make planned communities a more affordable way to own a home, especially for first-time homebuyers, retirees and low- and moderate-income families.