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July 14, 2005
Professionalism and Condominiums – Owners – Boards - Property Management Firms
The condominium industry, all concepts, whether it is the multi-storied arrangement or the home owners association with their single dwelling, is expanding exponentially.
Owners and the residents have recognized the benefits inherent in this type of environment. Most notable is that the complex will be serviced, managed, operated and maintained by agreement with either individuals, or property management firms. This has allowed the occupants to pursue their daily endeavors while Property management firms have recognized that providing these services can be profitable.
The industry has self-adopted, sans definition or standards, baselines that constitute the meaning of:
- Full service management by Professional personnel;
- Professional management services provided by Management firms
A program should be established that would provide the condominium management industry, both firms and personnel, the status to be accepted on a nationwide basis as a commercially acceptable and recognized” Professional Occupation”.
The Community Associations Institute is to be commended for its efforts in recognizing the need to establish the professionalism status in both the individual condominium manager and the property management firm.
The Institute has a national certification program designed exclusively for condominium, cooperative, and homeowner association managers. The program is promoted as being qualified to provide standards for association management and gives homeowners and boards confidence in their manager's knowledge and ability to provide professional service.
It is not clear as to the standards provided for association management, nor how this gives homeowners and boards confidence in their manager's knowledge and ability to provide professional service.
AAMC accreditation is awarded to companies that “Specialize in community association management and that are committed to providing unique and diverse services to their clients. A company that holds this designation ensures their staff has the skills, experience, and integrity to help your community.”
Global statements in these programs, and discussed below need to be improved upon to more finitely identify and explain their intent i.e.:
“The Community Associations Institute has a national certification program designed exclusively for condominiums that gives homeowners and boards confidence in their manager's knowledge and ability to provide professional service”
“CAI accreditation to companies that specialize in community association management that are committed to providing unique and diverse services to their clients”
What is the meaning of “Unique and diverse services"?
This statement is meaningless with out much more detail as these matters go right to the heart of condominium management.
Baselines and standards need be established to identify the professional services to be provided in the full management services firms are to provide to the associations.
This lack of definition has encouraged management firms to adopt a “Facilitators” culture in the condo management business rather than being “Providers” of services.
The future will belong to the pro-active type management firms staffed or organized with the capability to provide full service management type disciplines. The higher share of managing condominium associations will go to firms organized and staffed with the full service management type disciplines.
Then and only then would creditability be honored in the statement: “A company that holds this designation ensures their staff has the skills, experience, and integrity to help your community succeed” as stated in the Institute's paper.
Colleges and universities need to be encouraged to establish curricula that would provide the basis to elevate the status of the industry as a professional occupation in the eyes of academia and in turn the business community.
Programs should be established that would accommodate the executives and mid-management individuals and interest the younger people to embark on this career by awarding degrees identified to the industry.
An Associate in Arts Degree Programs could be the initiator that would be the first step toward a bachelor's degree after graduation from the community college. Firms may initiate an internee program that would be the source of talent for the business ahead. The Associate in Arts degree is available in the following majors: Business Administration, Business Administration/Management Information Systems and it the propitious time to add Business Administration /Condominium Management.
These actions may result in the following expectations of both parties:
The expectations of the association members – be provided full service management by the property management firms with the professional personnel and disciplines as may be required in the agreement between the parties
The expectations of the Property Management Firm –render professional services as provided for in the agreement between the parties and be equitably compensated for services rendered
©Raymond A. Dubriske 2005
Posted by at July 14, 2005 11:43 AM