Chicagoland Apartment Association Announces Statewide Expansion as the Illinois Apartment Association

CHICAGO, Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Chicagoland Apartment Association (CAA), the region's leading voice for the rental housing industry, today announced a major organizational rebrand and expansion. Effective immediately, the association will operate as the Illinois Apartment Association (IAA), reflecting its broadened mission, statewide reach, and strengthened commitment to elevating Illinois' rental housing industry.

"Renaming to the Illinois Apartment Association more clearly represents our ongoing mission to elevate the multifamily housing industry across the entire state, not just in Chicagoland as the former name implied," said Michael Mini, executive vice president of the IAA. "By expanding our geographic identity, the IAA is positioning itself to better serve owners, managers, builders, developers, and suppliers across Illinois. The association will deepen its role as a unifying force for Illinois' multifamily housing community, offering resources that help members strengthen operations, improve resident satisfaction, and increase their bottom line."

The IAA will remain the apartment industry's trusted voice to public policy decision-makers at all levels. Its legislative mission continues to focus on protecting members' interests by advocating for issues such as:

• Federal, state, and local legislation
• Property taxes and fees
• Zoning and building codes
• Licensing requirements
• Environmental regulations
• Other critical housing policies

"Our association's longtime Advocacy Task Force will maintain its active role in reviewing regulatory initiatives and recommending policy positions to the Board of Directors," said Stephen Sise, board president of the IAA. "Through direct and grassroots lobbying, public affairs outreach, and strategic social media engagement, IAA ensures that policymakers understand the needs and realities of Illinois' rental housing providers. These efforts are further strengthened by our political action committee, which supports candidates who champion policies that benefit apartment owners, managers, and residents alike."

"As a multifamily housing leader serving communities outside Chicagoland, I'm encouraged to see the association embrace a truly statewide identity," said Gozen Hartman, IAA board member and CEO of Fairlawn Real Estate in Champaign. "This transition reflects the reality that rental housing issues don't stop at regional borders. The IAA will help ensure that downstate perspectives are represented, valued, and integrated into statewide policy and professional development efforts."

"IAA will expand its offerings of industry-leading professional education programs designed to help multifamily teams operate more efficiently and effectively," said Gina Fortune-Harmon, board member of the IAA and its former board president. "I have found that a highly trained staff leads to improved operational performance along with higher resident and employee satisfaction. Our events will help foster collaboration and strengthen the statewide rental housing community. The transition from CAA to IAA marks a significant milestone in the association's evolution. While the name is changing, our commitment to being the state's premier rental housing industry advocate remains the same."

About the Illinois Apartment Association
The Illinois Apartment Association (IAA) represents more than 7,000 apartment professionals who own and/or manage over 324,000 market-rate and affordable rental units in over 2,350 apartment properties ranging from high-rises to two-flats across Illinois. IAA is federated with the National Apartment Association and provides professional development and networking opportunities to apartment industry professionals and advocates on their behalf at the state, local and federal government level. For more information, please visit www.iaahq.org.

CONTACT
Matt Butterfield, 312-545-5058
[email protected]

SOURCE Illinois Apartment Association