Out of curiosity, how do you think AIs members have been misled? What claims or assertions has the org been making that a critical thinker would actually believe but turned out to be an untruth?
AFAICT 90% of the motivation for joining and pursuing a designation is business related. People believing it's profitable to accrue the additional credentials. The additional skills and access to the library are pluses but I don't believe they're the primary draw for most of the members. The primary reason I've seen being cited for the SRAs dropping their designations have been business related (they didn't think the economic ROI was enough to justify the costs). I don't recall ever seeing comments about MAIs dropping their designations so I kinda doubt that's even a thing.
If appraisers joining a professional org for the political advocacy and lobbying was really a big motivator then the Guild would be a lot bigger than it is right now.
As a residential appraiser and designated member of the Appraisal Institute,
I feel ignored and not represented whatsoever by the AI.
From the OP, not me. And he is not the only SRA I have heard say the same thing.
I was a member of the Appraisal Institute for six years. I joined because they were the largest and most respected Appraisal Organizations. I thought they would be leaders for their members and the entire profession. I was wrong.
The final year I was a member, they became obsessed with getting all their Associate Members designated. One reason is that they were losing membership rapidly (back in 2008). I was not opposed to becoming designated but saw no tangible results while a member and did not want to commit at the time.
They wanted you to become designated because once you are, they can strip you of your hard-earned designation if you leave. That gives them leverage over you and keeps you in place.
As for Advocacy. The AI has a section titled ‘Advocacy,” which has seven subsections ranging from National to State issues. They constantly brag about being the leader regarding what they do for their professional members.
As far as what they could do. Well, start by condemning practices of AMCs, Lenders, and the GSEs, for starters. When was the last time you heard the AI be highly critical of any of them? To solve problems, you first have to admit there is one to begin with. From 2008- 2013 the residential appraiser was being abused by AMCs (SRA chief appraisers run many), and the AI did nothing.
Finally, the numbers don’t agree with your claim that the designation drop has only been on the residential side. See the chart I posted on another thread showing a drop-off in MAI designees.