In the early 1970s, condominium and planned development projects were not only the “new thing” in housing, they were also spreading like a forest fire. The factors that caused this growth also caused some of the problems that became the motivating forces in the forming of ECHO. The FHA had no CID experience, so a deaf ear was turned to the problems of the common interest developments. The California Department of Real Estate and the legal profession were also of little help in those early days. This left the owners, their associations and their boards of directors no place to turn for help.
Out of simple necessity, Echo was conceived as a non-profit organization of condominium and planned development homeowner associations. The Articles of Incorporation were filed on July 11, 1973, with the primary purpose to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas between homeowner associations and for the growth, education and development of boards of directors and officers of automatic membership homeowner associations, planned developments and condominiums. The original goal of Echo to protect the common interest development homeowners and their boards of directors remains unchanged today. Our commitment to reach and teach as many board members as possible remains intact. Echo was and still is an owners’ organization.