HOA Legi-Slate

The nationwide trend of state legislators imposing some form of manager licensing is continuing with Virginia. A bill recently approved by the Virginia General Assembly will go into law on July 1, 2008, if signed by the governor. This bill allows managers to meet licensing standards by holding certification and designations awarded by CAI and NBC-CAM. The bill also creates an ombudsman system, similar to the Florida model, for handling homeowner complaints. 

If this is the trend, then perhaps it is advisable for managers and management companies to push to quickly obtain PCAM, CMCA and AMS designations to be “ahead of the curve” if such legislation comes to Colorado?

As a professional property manager who holds a real estate license that I have purposely held on inactive status, this simply sounds like another way for the RE Commission and others to create more revenue. Take one look at the countless unethical realtors and property managers who currently hold designations, and you'll see that these requirements, education, and designations do nothing toward making a person more ethical in their career.

Well then Colorado needs to not vaguely guide HOA managers to also seek Colorado real estate licensing. It should be one or the other. There is so much regulation that it is starting to make sense to get out of this business. High stress and low dollars. You'd think we were brain surgeons or attorneys. If you have high integrity and are smart - doing what's right in this business is all it should take. It's too bad poor managers have given the good ones a bad name and likely help to fuel the "regulate" fire.

I support licensing (or some type of regulation) so long as it is under the jurisdiction of an existing agency (such as the Real-Estate Commission) that has investigative and enforcement authority, but NOT if it requires membership in a private, professional organization. To me, this is blatant commercialism and an attempt to make money. A professional manager should be able to become licensed by a governmental agency without paying dues to CAI, IREM, or any other private organization. To me, membership just entails another fee, in addition to what the state will be charging. Most of us managers are not rich folks. Please consider this.