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January 21, 2006
Manager Training and Designations - Who Does It? Where Do You Find Them?
Recently I was asked by a reader what CAM stands for and where can one get a list of all CAMs in California. Speaking in "California-tongue", and for these purposes CAM stands for "Community Association Manager". That general terminology is not to be confused with CCAM which is a commonly heard acronym that stands for the California Community Association Manager which is the designation of a group called California Association of Community Association Managers (CCAM), or PCAM which stands for Professional Community Association Manager which is a designation for a professional manager trained by the Community Associations Institute (CAI), a national organization with regional chapters in every state.
In California, managers that had the above-mentioned designations as of July 3, 2003 and within that designation had covered all of the areas required for manager training (which are enumerated in a statute in California) is entitled to call themselves as "Certified Common Interest Development Manager". Others who did not have an accepted designation by that date have to complete 30 hours of education in community association manager classes. See more on this below and on the guru website.
Community Associations with regard to the common interest development form of housing to are essentially the same thing as homeowners associations.
Now, taking a step back, and to confuse things further, a "Property Manager", although being trained and with certain property management designations behind their name, may or may not have the specific expertise needed to manage a CID/HOA/Community Association or even a CID/industrial/commercial property. It takes special training because these entities have special rules and regulations found in the Davis Stirling Common Interest Development Act.
In searching for the right manager for your CID/HOA/Community Association, ask if the manager qualifies as a "Certified Common Interest Development Manager", or is in the process of getting the education required to qualify. CCIDS (a sensible acronym for the above) have education and experience. There are many managers that have lots of experience but do not have a specific designation, and some of those are either seeking a designation or taking educational courses to qualify them to call themselves a CCIDM. There is no requirement for an Association to use a CCDIM, but of course, it is important to have someone doing the work that has the specialized eduction and training needed.
In order to be called a "Certified Common Interest Development Manager," (or CCIDM) a person must meet one of the following requirements:
(a) Prior to July 1, 2003, ... had achieved a certain designation by a CAI or CACM and within five years prior to July 1, 2004, received instruction in California law as required by the statute. (Note, you can visit their websites to find out what designations qualify - at www.cacm.org and www.caionline.org.)
(b) On or after July 1, 2003, has successfully completed an educational curriculum that shall be no less than a combined 30 hours in coursework described in Business and Professions Code Section 11502 and passed an examination or examinations that test competence in common interest development management in various identified areas.
California Business and Professions Code Section 11502/11502.5 set the requirements to be called a CCDIM or similar name. You can also find out more information on my website -
One does not have to be a PCAM or CCAM to qualify as a "Certified Common Interest Development Manager". Since managers are required to disclose designations and special qualifications to HOAs before contracting with them per Civil Code Section 1363.1, and are required by 11504 to disclose these before contracting and on an annual basis to HOAs they manage, an HOA can find out if the manager is or is not qualified to call themselves Certified as a CID Manager, and what, if any, designations they have.
There is no general registry of community association managers (CAMs) in the state, but you may be able to get a list of the managers with designations through the CACM and CAI websites mentioned.
Posted by Beth Grimm at January 21, 2006 2:16 PM