CRA
Cottage Rental Association

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CRA's Policies

CRA's Mission
CRAs Bylaws
 

CRA's Mission

Cottage Rental Association (CRA) is a not-for-profit association dedicated to:

• Promoting Integrity, Fairness, Excellence, Value, Stakeholder Satisfaction, Co-operation, optimum occupancy, and Self-regulation in the Cottage Rental Industry.
   
• Facilitating rental referrals to & from CRA members.
   
• Promoting and facilitating mutually beneficial co-operation between CRA members, government, and other Associations.
   
• Providing value-added services to CRA members.

CRA's Bylaws

1. CRA is a not-for-profit Association, formed for the purposes defined in CRA's Mission statement.  CRA's Mission Statement can only be modified upon a seconded motion from a CRA member, or by resolution recommending a change from CRA's Board of Directors, or a recommendation from CRA's Board of Advisors.  All proposed modifications will be voted on by CRA's members, and will be passed and become effective if passed by a 2/3 majority of CRA's members.
    
2. CRA's Board of Advisors is defined as all CRA's Founding Members whose membership in CRA has remained in effect and good standing on a continuous basis.  Founding Members are defined as all those who join CRA during its initial year of operation.
    
3. All persons and organizations seeking membership in CRA must endorse CRA's Mission, and commit to their consistent compliance to CRA's Code of Conduct, Bylaws, Policies, and procedures.
    
4. CRA's Board of Directors shall be 5 CRA members in good standing, elected by the members for a term of up to five (5) years.  The appointment period of each Director shall be staggered so that only one Director's position is up for re-election in any one year.  When a Director pre-maturely resigns or is removed, a by-election shall be held as soon as is reasonably possible under the circumstances, but in no case longer than 6 months after the vacancy first occurs.
    
5. CRA's Investigations Committee, and CRA's Complaints Committee shall be composed of CRA members and/or non-members as appointed by CRA's Board of Directors for any term up to 1 year maximum; provided that those persons appointed to the Investigations Committee shall be independent and separate from those appointed to the Complaints Committee, and all persons appointed shall be unbiased towards all matters that come before them, and shall declare any conflict of interest (actual or perceived).
    
6. CRA's Complaints Committee shall be composed of 5 persons appointed by CRA's Board of Directors for any term up to 1 year maximum; provided that those persons appointed to the Complaints Committee shall be independent and separate from those appointed to the Investigations Committee, and all persons appointed shall be unbiased towards all matters that come before them, and shall declare any conflict of interest (actual or perceived); and the Complaints Committee shall have 3 CRA members and 2 non-members chosen from CRA's Stakeholders (ie. concerned citizens, government officials, professionals, renters, or similar persons).
    
7. When a complaint has been received from renters, Stakeholders, or CRA members about alleged violations of CRA's Mission, Code of Conduct, Bylaws, Policies, and procedures by any CRA member, then CRA's Investigations Committee will promptly, comprehensively, and fairly investigate the complaint and all related issues.  The independent investigation will document the allegations, facts uncovered, findings, and recommendations.  Prior to release of the investigation report, the CRA member(s) being investigated shall receive a draft copy of the report, and will be provided an opportunity to comment on the report as to form and content, and these comments shall be included into the final report as an Appendix to the report.  The CRA Complaints Committee will receive the final report, determine if there has been a significant breach of CRA's requirements or policies, and determine the penalty or corrective actions to be taken.  If penalties against a CRA member are determined, these penalties may include one or more of the following:   verbal reprimand; written reprimand; setting their membership on probation for up to 6 months; suspending their membership until a fine (not to exceed $100.00 has been paid to CRA), or restitution to be paid to the damaged party has been paid in full; or termination of their CRA membership.
    
8. CRA's Board of Advisors are hereby charged with the independent responsibility and authority for:
    
   • periodic auditing of CRA's Committees, Board of Directors, and CRA's Staff so as ensure that CRA's Mission, Bylaws, Policies, and Procedures are being followed and effectively implemented on a consistent basis
      
   • Advising CRA's Board of Directors on any issues assigned by the Board that need more in-depth investigation
      
   • Completing special projects as requested by CRA's Board of Directors.
      
9. CRA Members in good standing can choose to have their names and/or contact information displayed from CRA's website at no additional cost.  If the Member requests to have their Internet web address displayed on one of CRA's websites (either CRA, Country, Region, or local Chapter; and either as plain text or as an HTML or similar hyperlink), then the Member must first pay any additional fee set by CRA, as well as include on the Member's website, CRA's logo with a hyperlink to the appropriate index page of CRA's website (http://cottage-rental-assoc.org or one of index pages of CRA's country, Regions, or local Chapters).  The Member's link back to CRA's index page must occur on the Member's same page to which the Member is hyperlinked to by CRA's website.