Well thought out licensing of professional community association mangers serves to provide vital consumer protections to homeowners, foster good governance and raise the standards of professionalism across the industry.

When such efforts are based on industry-created certifications (CMCA) and or designations (AMS, LSM, PCAM and AAMC) they provide assurance that professional managers have the needed skills to take on the difficult task of community association management. Having such regulations based on industry-developed national designations also enables companies and managers to operate in or move to different states without having to undertake differing educational and licensing requirements. 

For years, CAI’s member advocates have been working toward that goal. 2008 has been a landmark year in advancing our agenda on manager licensing. Virginia has recently passed a comprehensive licensing bill where manager certification and company licensure are linked with CAI-developed designations. Currently similar bills are pending in Illinois, Rhode Island and North Carolina and initial licensing efforts are underway in South Carolina.

CAI is pleased to announce that our Issues Advancement Fund (IAF), after a successful online auction this Spring, is issuing two grants in support of these important efforts. This week, the IAF Committee will be sending seed grants to the Illinois Legislative Action Committee and the Rhode Island Legislative Action Committee in support of their Licensing Efforts. This money will be used in conjunction with locally raised funds to support the efforts to pass these bills in the current legislative cycle. The efforts of these LACs, as well as that of our more than 300 advocacy volunteers across the country, are a critical means by which we shape the future of our industry.  We are proud to support their efforts..