Community Associations Network Industry News

CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 24, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- The first developed phase of The Palisades -- the 1,600-acre, award-winning, master-planned community in Southwest Charlotte on ecologically sensitive Lake Wylie -- has been certified as meeting the rigorous environmental standards of Audubon International's Gold Signature Program.

With this designation, The Palisades is now one of only five master-planned golf communities in the world -- and the first in North Carolina -- to have residential neighborhoods and a golf course certified as a Gold Audubon International Signature Sanctuary.

The Palisades is the first combined residential, commercial and golf course master-planned community in the world, offering a broad price range of homes from executive to luxury, based on a land plan approved by Audubon International's Gold Signature Program.

With the completion of the commercial component of The Palisades, and approval of that phase by Audubon International, The Palisades expects to be the first combined commercial, residential and golf course community in the world offering a broad price range of homes to earn Audubon International's prestigious Gold Signature designation.

A project of Rhein Palisades, LLC, a Rhein Medall Community, The Palisades certification is the result of intensive planning, implementation of best practices, and careful, innovative development methods designed to preserve wildlife habitats, leave large areas of forest intact, and protect -- and even improve -- the water quality of Lake Wylie. Although zoned for 4,500 homes, Rhein Medall has chosen to develop The Palisades for approximately 2,500 homes. In addition, over 30 percent of the land has been set aside for perpetuity as open space, and most of that has been left in its natural state.

"The Palisades represents our commitment to creating communities while preserving and honoring the environment," said Jim Medall, president of Rhein Medall Communities. "We are proud to be recognized by Audubon International for the time and work we've invested creating The Palisades, and very pleased to be among the five other golf communities in the world to have earned Audubon International's elite Gold designation."

Audubon International's certification of The Palisades was confirmed July 8, following an extensive on-site audit of the community by Audubon International staff. "This is an extraordinary achievement," said Nancy Richardson, director of Audubon International's Signature Program. "Signature certification is awarded only to new developments that are designed, constructed and maintained according to Audubon International's precise planning standards and environmental disciplines." To date, only 11 properties world-wide have achieved the coveted Gold Signature certification, Richardson added.

"We're very excited about the certification and are looking forward to growing our community within the context of the Audubon International program," said Medall. "There is a great deal of interest in building homes in communities that are sensitive to the environment and both building, and living, in harmony with nature."

As new phases of The Palisades are built, Audubon International will conduct new certification audits to ensure that each new section of the community continues to adhere to Audubon's strict principles of environmental sustainability. In addition, Audubon International will conduct annual recertification audits at The Palisades.

Over four years in the making, certification of The Palisades as a Gold Audubon International Signature Sanctuary began with a $1 million land and water quality plan, followed by rigorous efforts to develop the community with best environmental practices that reduce the fertilizers and pesticides used on home lawns and at the golf course, reduce water velocity, protect ground water, creeks and other watersheds, preserve wildlife corridors, disturb as little of the land as possible during the development process, and protect historic trees and large tree stands. Some specific measures taken include:

-- Hiring of a Natural Resource Manager for the property to
oversee water quality monitoring and development practices
and implement environmental education programs within and
outside the community.
-- Developing no more than 50 acres of land at a time, within
each drainage area, to minimize disturbance of the land and
development pressure on natural resources.
-- Establishing a Resource Advisory Committee of environmental
experts to oversee implementation of The Palisades' plan for
sustainable development. The current committee includes
Nancy Richardson; Tom Martin, a certified master arborist;
Jay Wilson, the erosion control coordinator for the city of
Charlotte; Dave Coleman, the superintendent of The Palisades
Nicklaus Design golf course; and Matt Bossert, the Natural
Resource Manager at The Palisades.
-- Treating storm water in smallest increments possible and
installing velocity dissipaters in every storm water outlet
to slow down the speed of rain water flowing through forested
buffers during storms, thus reducing erosion and removing
pollutants in the watershed.
-- Creating buffer zones near all creeks that feed into Lake
Wylie, and leaving 100-foot natural buffers between homes
or golf course and the perimeters of the lake (local
regulations require a 50-foot buffer).
-- Implementation of Best Management Practices at wetlands,
water bodies, and environmentally sensitive areas during
construction. This included building more than 80 temporary
erosion basins around the property lined with riprap and
wash stone, some of which were converted into ponds.
-- Protecting the watershed for Lake Wylie by developing
landscaping guidelines for the golf course, public areas and
home lawns related to the types of fertilizers, herbicides,
and plants that can and can't be used in landscaping.
-- Providing each Palisades homeowner with a guide to help them
make lawn and garden choices that are healthy for the
environment.
-- Requiring that all home lawns at The Palisades and the
golf course fairway be planted with Bermuda grass, a hardy
grass that requires less irrigation, fertilizers and
herbicides than fescue lawns.
-- Limiting the amount of managed turf on the 180-acre golf
course to less than 60 acres to conserve water and further
reduce use of fertilizers and pesticides.
-- Requiring that The Palisades' residents minimize the use of
pesticides, herbicides, and dangerous nutrients that can
be transported via irrigation or storm water run-off into
the creeks, and then into Lake Wylie.
-- Requiring all builders and their subcontractors to go
through an extensive water quality training program, and
educating them in the specific development rules and
regulations required at The Palisades.
-- Setting aside mandatory 35-foot tree protection areas in
the rear yards of every lot which prohibit mechanized tree
clearing (chainsaws).
-- Ensuring that natural drainage patterns are followed
whenever possible.

Certification of The Palisades Phase One residential neighborhoods and the Nicklaus Design golf course as a Gold Audubon International Signature Sanctuary is the most recent in a long list of awards, accolades and achievements earned by The Palisades and the developer.

Rhein Medall Communities was recently recognized by the Homebuilder's Association of Charlotte as Charlotte's Developer of the Year for 2006, and The Palisades won several sales and marketing awards in 2005 and 2006 from the Homebuilder's Association. The Palisades also won several national awards in January 2006 from the National Homebuilder's Association, including a National Sales and Marketing Gold Award -- the building industry's top accolade.

The Palisades was selected as the site for Charlotte's 2005 HomeArama. And in April 2004, The Palisades was singled out by Voices and Choices, a study group dedicated to monitoring the impact of growth on metropolitan Charlotte, in their 2004 State of the Region Report, as an example of environmentally-responsible development.

Audubon International is a not-for-profit environmental education organization dedicated to educating, assisting, and inspiring millions of people from all walks of life to protect and sustain the land, water, wildlife, and natural resources around them. By helping people make sound environmental decisions and take environmentally responsible actions, Audubon International seeks to foster more sustainable human and natural communities. The organization works with more than 3,000 properties and communities in 26 different countries.

The Palisades will be comprised of many neighborhoods woven together by several miles of rustic nature trails designed to accommodate horseback riding, cyclists and hikers. In addition, The Palisades offers a wider array of lifestyle amenities than any other new community in the Charlotte region. This includes The Palisades Episcopal School, a soccer training facility, an equestrian center, The Palisades Country Club, with its private Nicklaus Design golf course, and the Tim Wilkison Signature Club, which offers a wide array of family-focused tennis, swimming and fitness programs. This September, The Palisades will host The Championships at The Palisades, an annual championship pro tennis tournament featuring legendary tennis players over the age of 30, including Jim Courier and John McEnroe.

Rhein Medall Communities is known for environmentally sensitive land planning that includes working with the natural topography of the land, respecting the natural beauty of the landscape and weaving open space into each community design. Rhein Interests was founded in Cincinnati, Ohio, by Robert C. Rhein. Mr. Rhein has had operations in the Carolinas for over 20 years as Rhein Interests, and in that time has earned a reputation as the region's premier residential land developer. In 2006, Rhein Interests' operations in the Carolinas were renamed Rhein Medall Communities, to reflect the hard work and dedication of the company's president, Jim Medall, who is now a co-owner of a new company with Robert C. Rhein, Rhein Medall Interests, LLC.

Known for developing carefully thought-out, innovative projects, both Rhein Interests and Rhein Medall Communities are dedicated to setting the standard for the industry by creating communities in all price categories that consistently offer superior value, designed to surpass the test of time.

For additional information, contact Glenna Musante at (919) 783-1865 or (919) 604-7213 or Glenna@musantecommunications.com.

Posted by Joe at 9:52 AM | Permalink

ALEXANDRIA, VA, JULY 24, 2006—Community Associations Institute (CAI) today applauded the enactment of legislation that gives residents in community associations the right to fly the American flag. While many homeowner associations already allow the display of American flags, some restrict the practice to prevent the proliferation of flags, banners and emblems. First introduced in January 2005, the Freedom to Display the American Flag Act of 2005 (H.R. 42) was signed by President Bush today and is effective immediately.

Sponsored in the House of Representatives by Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD), the legislation is based largely on CAI's own public policy on the display of the American flag in community associations. That long-standing policy recommends the "elimination of community association restrictions that prohibit the display of a reasonably sized, removable American flag from a resident's exclusive use or limited common element areas, so long as the flag is displayed in accordance with the Federal Flag Code...."

At the same time—and consistent with provisions in H.R. 42—CAI believes that community associations, and not state laws, are best suited to determine the appropriate size, placement and installation of flags and flagpoles.

"I'm gratified the President signed this important measure," said Bartlett, who drafted H.R. 42 after reviewing state statutes and public policy guidelines developed by CAI. "This is a reasonable and thoughtful approach that gives residents the right to fly our colors, even as it gives community associations the right to establish appropriate limitations on the size and locations of flags displayed in their communities. This is a perfect compromise between the rights of individuals and the important obligations of community association leaders."

"Displaying the American flag is the patriotic right of all Americans and H.R. 42 helps protect it," said Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) after the Senate passed the measure July 17 by unanimous consent. "This legislation strikes the appropriate balance between reasonable community regulations and an essential American liberty."

According to CAI, more than 57 million Americans live in an estimated 286,000 homeowner and condominium associations, up from just two million residents in 10,000 communities in 1970.

Flags—and flag poles—have become an occasional source of conflict when residents want to fly flags or install flagpoles in violation of established community association guidelines. Such restrictions, as well as others pertaining to architectural guidelines and lawn-care standards, are designed to preserve the appearance of communities and protect property values.

These occasional conflicts notwithstanding, recent national research conducted by Zogby International indicates that more than 7 in 10 Americans who live in homeowner and condominium associations are pleased with their communities, with just 10 percent expressing some level of dissatisfaction. Zogby found that 78 percent believe community association rules "protect and enhance" property values. Only 1 percent said rules harm property values, while about 20 percent see no difference. The research was conducted by the Foundation for Community Association Research.

"We commend Mr. Bartlett and his colleagues for taking a logical and balanced approach to what can be a contentious issue," said CAI Chief Executive Officer Thomas M. Skiba. "This legislation codifies the right of residents to fly the flag, but also affirms the right of community associations to establish fair and reasonable limitations on how the flag is displayed."

CAI is a national membership association that provides information, tools and resources to homeowners and professionals who govern and manage homeowner and condominium associations. CAI members include community managers, volunteer homeowner leaders and businesses and professionals who support common-interest communities. CAI member services include conferences and seminars, education courses, public policy and media advocacy, periodicals, books, professional service directories and professional designations.

Posted by Joe at 6:57 PM | Permalink

• Everything You Need to Know Before Buying a Co-op, Condo, Or Townhouse, by Ken Roth. AMACOM Publishing. 197 pages. $18.95.

Don't buy or sell a condominium, co-op or townhouse without first reading Ken Roth's revealing new book, Everything You Need to Know Before Buying a Co-op, Condo, or Townhouse. Written by an experienced Florida real estate attorney and condo investor, this important handbook exposes the good and bad of these specialized properties.

Not only is this book enjoyable and easy reading, but also the author's many experiences explain how to avoid potential pitfalls. He even reveals a few mistakes he made. Roth, who lives and practices law in South Florida, highlights the differences among co-ops, condos and townhouses, their drawbacks and their advantages.

Whether you are thinking of buying as a personal residence or an investment, the author explains how to protect yourself, especially when purchasing a new condo from a developer. Roth emphasizes what is negotiable in such purchases and what is non-negotiable when dealing with new construction.

Along the way, the author discusses what makes a profitable condo purchase, such as location, view and amenities, and how to avoid paying too much. The book's final chapter ties everything together and shares how to sell your condo for maximum sales price.

The most valuable parts of the book are when Roth, after explaining the facts, provides his viewpoints based on many years of owning multiple condos and his law practice experiences. Such information is priceless when determining what to look for and what to avoid when buying a condominium.

Heavy emphasis is placed on the role of the board of directors. Many condo buyers are unaware when they purchase that they become members of a mini-democracy and they must submit to the decisions of the governing board of fellow owners. As a condo owner, I especially related to Roth's description of the ''condo commando'' member who wants to take charge of every condo association.

By far, this is the best ''how to buy a condominium'' book I've read. It is ultra-complete, explaining both the legal and practical aspects as well as the pros and cons of condo ownership. The many personal examples add realism to the contents. On my scale of one to 10, this outstanding book rates an off-the-chart 12.

Posted by Joe at 4:27 PM | Permalink

Certified Management Inc., which runs more than 400 condominium complexes across the state, has been acquired by Texas-based Associa.

The merger closed on June 30, according to Certified Chief Operating Officer Arthur Heath. He declined to name the price.

The 33-year-old company's portfolio includes owners associations on all four major islands. The properties range from Executive Centre to Kapolei Knolls. It also offers rental management and developer consultation services.

Certified was owned by Hawaii residents Jim and Sherree McKellar, and its 135 employees through a stock ownership plan.

Sherree McKellar, corporate vice president, said the merger is a step up for Certified.

"We're trying to raise the level of the professionalism in our industry," she said. "This gives us access to state-of-the-art training programs, the best trainers and years of experience across the nation."

One advantage of the new ownership, according to McKellar, is access to a menu of services -- from insurance to waste collection -- at nationwide pricing rates.

"It's going to be a huge cost savings in every area for our customers," she said. "We now have vendors that will give us nationwide pricing."

James McKellar will remain president of Certified, and Heath will still hold the post of chief operating officer.

Beginning in 2001, Certified acquired several association management accounts, including those of Fidelity Management Co. and Chaney Brooks on Oahu, and Island Property Management on Maui.

Certified's most recent acquisition was of AA Oceanfront Condominium Rentals on Maui, which closed on the first of July.

Associa, founded in 1979 in Dallas, has more than 50 offices across the United States and bills itself as the nation's largest company devoted exclusively to managing condominium and other community associations.

It services properties from master-planned communities to high-rise towers, subdivisions, condominiums, townhomes and commercial properties.

Besides Certified Management in Hawaii, Associa also recently acquired Today Management in Georgia and MAMCO in New Jersey.

Posted by Joe at 11:02 AM | Permalink

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 19, 2006--Wildfires in the Southwest, flooding across the Middle Atlantic, and the Gulf Coast's busiest hurricane season on record. Last year alone, 48 states were forced to declare conditions of disaster causing billions of dollars in property damage, thousands of casualties and the largest relocation in American history.

However, the National Board of Certification for Community Association Managers (NBC-CAM) is addressing this national pandemic by offering peace of mind to the 1 in 5 Americans who live in community associations. The Certified Managers of Community Associations(R) (CMCA(R)) program equips these professionals, and consequently the communities they serve, with the tools necessary for emergency preparedness, crisis management and disaster recovery and relief.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is currently drawing criticism from the victims of recent natural disasters who are citing slow reaction time, disorganization and mismanagement as causes for a seeming inability to provide adequate support in their time of acute need. Therefore, homeowners are turning away from the federal government and opting to seek counsel closer to home. Community residents are now placing their faith in certified association leaders.

"Americans across the country seem to be preparing for the next natural disaster or trying to recover from the last one," said NBC-CAM Chairman, Judi Phares. "Our requirements to earn and maintain the CMCA were designed to provide homeowners with a 'port in the storm,' a certified professional ready, trained and able to handle almost any situation - from emergency conditions such as floods or fires to community management of finances and contracting."

More than 6,000 managers have earned this professional credential since NBC-CAM was created in 1995. The CMCA program is the only national certification designed exclusively for managers of homeowner and condominium associations - more than 286,000 communities that are home to an estimated 57 million Americans.

In a recent survey conducted by NBC-CAM, 94 percent of certified community association managers said that they were better equipped to handle a natural disaster because of their CMCA training. Additionally, 95.2 percent of respondents said the homeowners in their communities have directly benefited from the training required by the Certification Board.

"The CMCA program trains managers to serve as immediate and effective resources who can help homeowners minimize their risk for damage, shorten recovery time and aid in all facets of community living," said Ms. Phares.

In addition to critical emergency preparedness skills such as risk management, insurance requirements, emergency preparedness and vendor relationships, all managers pursuing their certification must also complete course work in the areas of governance, contracting, budgets and maintenance, thus assuring the quality of professional community association management.

About NBC-CAM

The National Board of Certification for Community Association Managers (NBC-CAM) administers the only national certification program for community association managers. NBC-CAM grants the Certified Manager of Community Associations(R) (CMCA(R)) credential to individuals who demonstrate fundamental knowledge and expertise in managing homeowner and condominium associations and cooperatives. NBC-CAM was created in 1995 by Community Associations Institute as an independent, yet affiliated, nonprofit corporation to operate a certification program that complies with standards established by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCAA). A nine member Board of Commissioners governs NBC-CAM. For more information, please visit the NBC-CAM website at www.nbccam.org.

Posted by Joe at 10:55 AM | Permalink

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., July 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Becker & Poliakoff, P.A., a diversified commercial law firm with more than one hundred attorneys in fifteen offices throughout Florida, today announced the appointment of attorney and shareholder Kenneth S. Direktor to lead its expanding Community Association law practice, providing a full range of legal counsel and services to condominiums, cooperatives, homeowner and other associations statewide.

As Chair of the Community Association Practice Group, Mr. Direktor will work closely with the law firm's 32 other community association attorneys, who practice from Becker & Poliakoff offices located throughout the state. Based in the firm's West Palm Beach office and continuing to represent community associations in Palm Beach County and along the Treasure Coast, he will report directly to the firm's management committee.

"Ken Direktor is well-placed to lead Becker & Poliakoff's growing Community Association practice by virtue of his longtime experience providing legal and business counsel to our clients, and his solid leadership skills and deep understanding of community association issues in Florida," said Gary Poliakoff, firm founder and President of Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.

"I'm very pleased to have been appointed to chair the Community Association practice at Becker & Poliakoff and to have the opportunity to leverage our firm's leadership to serve the best interests of the tens of thousands of condominium, homeowner and other community associations statewide," Direktor said. "As chair of the practice, I am firmly committed to Becker & Poliakoff's tradition of working closely and fostering personal relationships with the many community association leaders and professionals who continue to be instrumental in the growth and success of community living in Florida."

Mr. Direktor joined Becker & Poliakoff in 1986 and has practiced law continuously in Southeast Florida since his admission to the Florida Bar in 1984. He has a broad knowledge and deep understanding of legal issues impacting business, finance and property development, having practiced in commercial and real estate related litigation. He is admitted to practice before the U.S. Federal District Court, Southern District of Florida, as well as the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Florida.

Having focused his legal practice for the past 12 years on providing legal counsel and representation to condominium, cooperative and homeowner associations in Southeast Florida, Mr. Direktor is widely recognized as an authority on community association matters and frequently addresses topics that include effective community association covenant enforcement, effective collection of assessments, bankruptcy and creditor's rights, insurance, disaster recovery, casualty repair and related issues.

He has spoken on community association issues to audiences at the Community Association Institute of Broward County, Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Seminars, Nova University's Law School and numerous civic associations in Broward, Palm Beach and Martin Counties and will be teaching a course on Condominium Law at Nova University's Shepard Broad Law Center this year. Mr. Direktor also has been active in the Florida legislative process, helping to draft laws, advocate change and provide comment on proposed legislative changes that might impact condominium, cooperatives and homeowner associations.

A contributing co-author of Florida Admissibility of Evidence (Harrison Company, 1989), Mr. Direktor holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Miami University of Oxford, Ohio, and received his JD degree in 1984 from the University of Toledo College.

Becker & Poliakoff has been a pioneer in the development of Community Association law in Florida, with many of the leading cases in the field bearing the firm's name. Becker & Poliakoff's Community Association attorneys, recognized as individual leaders in the field through published works, legislative activities and industry group leadership positions, work together as a team to provide community association clients the benefit of more than 100 years of collective experience in the field of Community Association law and practice.

In 2003, Becker & Poliakoff also established the Community Association Leadership Lobby (CALL) to monitor and respond to legislation emerging from Tallahassee that can significantly impact condominiums, homeowners' associations, mobile home communities and cooperatives throughout the state. The leading organization working to enhance the quality of life and protect property values for Florida's community association residents, CALL advocates on behalf of more than 4,000 member communities statewide.

About Becker & Poliakoff P.A.

Becker & Poliakoff, P.A. is a diversified commercial law firm based in Ft. Lauderdale with more than one hundred attorneys in fifteen Florida offices and international and affiliated offices in New York, Czech Republic, Germany, China, France and Israel. In addition to Community Association Law, the firm counsels clients in legal issues relating to Disaster Recovery, Real Estate, Construction, International Business & Trade, Government Relations, Civil and Commercial Litigation and many other areas of law. For more information, visit: http://www.becker-poliakoff.com .

Posted by Joe at 10:44 AM | Permalink

BINGHAM FARMS, MI-- Attorney Robert M. Meisner, a nationally known condominium specialist and the author of Condo Living: A Survival Guide to Buying, Owning and Selling a Condominium, will be conducting a discussion and book signing at three metro Detroit area Borders stores in July.

Book Tour Schedule:

Borders Brighton, Tuesday, July 18, 7 p.m.

Borders Novi, Thursday, July 20, 7 p.m.

Borders Birmingham, Thursday, July 27, 7 p.m.

Meisner will share dos and don’ts of buying and owning a condo and running a condo association.

· Do be sure you know how to run a condo association if you’re going to develop a condo

· Do become a better purchaser by becoming more enlightened about your condo project as a whole

· Don’t buy a condo without a good condo lawyer

· Don’t serve on the board of directors without knowing your rights and responsibilities

Meisner will share his extensive legal experience and answer questions such as:

· What should one look for in dealing with a developer in a new or converted condominium?

· How should the association consider when picking management companies and attorneys?

· What are the pitfalls that a purchaser should be aware of when buying a condominium?

· What can you do to solve potential problems and make condominium living better for everyone?

More than fifty percent (50%) of residential construction in the United States is in condominiums. Moreover, baby-boomers are buying condominiums as a second or primary home in increasing numbers. Almost everyone either lives in or has a relative who lives in a condominium. Meisner will share his expertise in how to deal with the problems of buying and selling a condominium.

Who should read this book and attend the book signing?

Condo dwellers, boards of directors of community associations, developers and management firms can learn more about the unique problems of buying, selling, and living in a condominium, serving on a board, and developing a condominium.

In the book Meisner shares his wisdom and wit accumulated from more than 35 years of practicing community association law. This handy guide is a must-read for anyone who has ever thought about developing, buying or selling a condo, or joining a condo association board. America’s Master Handyman, Glenn Haege speaks of the book: “Everything you need to know about condo living… If you live in or are thinking of buying a condominium, you need this book.”

“Condominium living is not for everyone,” says Meisner. “There are numerous factors to consider before taking the plunge.” The book is divided into two parts. Part One covers the factors to be considered when selecting, buying and selling a condominium. Part Two demystifies the management and operations of condominium associations and their boards. Says Meisner: “It’s time to consider how condominium associations are supposed to operate – and how they actually do operate.”

Published by Momentum Books, a subsidiary of Hour Media, Condo Living is available at bookstores including Borders and online at Amazon.com, MomentumBooks.com, or Meisner-law.com.

Posted by Joe at 10:57 AM | Permalink

Today's homebuyers and apartment/condominium dwellers continue to look for a digital lifestyle and leading-edge communications and entertainment connections. Through the AT&T Smart Moves program, AT&T drives value to builders, developers, property owners and residents through fiber-based services and marketing support for bundled communications.

AT&T Smart Moves is a strategic marketing initiative between AT&T and single-family residential developers, regional or national single-family builders, real estate investment trusts, apartment ownership groups and apartment management groups. These programs help to deliver the full range of AT&T services to single family homes and apartments. You can go to AT&T site to find out more.

Posted by Joe at 11:04 AM | Permalink

More than 226 community managers are among the 235 individuals awarded professional designations by Community Associations Institute (CAI) during the first half of 2006—further evidence, if any is needed, that the community association marketplace is increasingly reliant on professionals who have demonstrated knowledge and proficiency in their fields of expertise.

The following designations were awarded during the six-month period:

* 193 Association Management Specialists (AMS).
* 31 Professional Community Association Managers (PCAM).
* 5 Reserve Specialists (RS).
* 4 Community Insurance and Risk Management Specialists (CIRMS).
* 2 Large-Scale Managers (LSM).

"We applaud these dedicated individuals for their commitment to education and professional development," says CAI Chief Executive Officer Thomas M. Skiba, who holds a Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential from the Association Society of Association Executives. "CAI designations provide direct marketplace value in terms of increased salaries and job opportunities. They also elevate the professionalism of the industry at large, and that's essential given the demanding, multi-dimensional nature of community association management."

The AMS is the second tier in the hierarchy of professional designations for community association managers. The first tier is the Certified Manager of Community Associations (CMCA) credential, administered by CAI's affiliate organization, the National Board of Certification for Community Association Managers (NBC-CAM). The PCAM is the third and highest credential for professional managers. The LSM demonstrates specialized knowledge in the management and operations of large community associations.

The RS and CIRMS designations recognize education, expertise and experience in two increasingly important components of community association operations—reserve studies and insurance and risk-management, respectively.

See the full list of individuals earning designations.

Posted by Joe at 1:04 AM | Permalink

TORONTO, July 5 /CNW/ - C3 Online Marketing is delighted to announce the company's involvement and contribution to MondoCondo, the brainchild of Denise Lash, a leading Toronto condominium lawyer and TV host, and Dale Tidd, Executive Producer of Inside Real Estate. MondoCondo, an obvious yet surprisingly unique initiative, brings together people, issues and commerce associated with condo living, a rapidly growing demographic in urban centres. Their plan for connecting residents and resources in a sustainable, forward-thinking manner involves several components.

While the highest profile element of MondoCondo's plan is likely the television show scheduled to launch in autumn 2006, C3 Online Marketing has been engaged to provide what will be the heart of the MondoCondo Community going forward; the web portal. The MondoCondo portal will be a dynamic window to residents, prospective buyers, property managers, agents, builders, suppliers, financiers and related professionals - for all things Condo. Way beyond a static website, C3's portal for MondoCondo will be a current and relevant gateway for information. Personal and business interests will be represented in and through the portal, which aside from housing basic information, will manage communications, databases, lists and provide distributed content management.

"The beauty of the technology behind MondoCondo's portal is that dynamic content will be managed by the stakeholders" said Terry Ham, President and CEO of C3 Online Marketing. "While the framework, creative, communication and commerce aspects of the portal will be provided by MondoCondo and C3, B2B community members will retain control of their messages and not get bottlenecked by central administrative control". President of the Toronto Canadian Condominium Institute, Janice Pynn thinks that "the entire condominium industry stands to gain enormous educational benefit through the focus on condominiums being consolidated by MondoCondo."

With 15 years experience as a condominium lawyer and topic advocate, Denise Lash, the host of MondoCondo explains, "We have seen explosive growth in the condominium industry in Canada over the past few years. In Ontari alone there are approximately 1.5 million residents living in condominiums, representing all walks of life, ages and income brackets. With a forecast for continued growth, more and more owners will be searching for resources to help them better understand the condominium lifestyle. C3's web portal will bring those resources together for all invested parties."

ABOUT C3 ONLINE MARKETING

C3 Online Marketing provides online solutions for marketers designed to attract and retain online relationships. C3's online marketing infrastructure uniquely integrates programs and applications into clients' business processes, or operates as outsourced service. Utilizing C3 technology, web systems, promotions, contests, surveys, email deployments, loyalty programs, online training and more are easily migrated to customizable follow-on customer touch campaigns. C3 is a privately held company based in Toronto. On June 6, 2006, C3 and True North Corporation (TSX-V:TN, "True North") jointly announced that the Companies intend to combine their businesses, creating a new platform from which to build a leading North American Digital Marketing Services company. Please visit www.c3onlinemarketing.com.

ABOUT MONDOCONDO

MondoCondo's mission is to provide resources and information required to maximize condo living experience. By connecting members and suppliers to condominium communities, topics affecting those communities are explored, creative solutions to old and new problems bring fresh perspectives, and collective commerce is driven. Denise Lash is presently Vice President of the Canadian Condominium Institute (Toronto) and Chair for the Condominium Management Standards Council of the Association of Condominium Managers of Ontario. She is a driving force in the Canadian condominium industry and passionate about providing valuable advice to owners, board members, developers and other lawyers both in Canada and the U.S. As a condominium law expert, she uses her no nonsense approach to provide solutions to over 800 condo communities across Ontario.www.mondocondo.com.

For further information: Toby Rosner, Vice President Marketing, C3 Online Marketing, (416) 534-5582 x245, toby.rosner@c3onlinemarketing.com

Posted by Joe at 10:27 AM | Permalink

New York, NY (PRWEB) July 5, 2006 -- Berwind Property Group, Inc. was presented with a Digie Award for ‘Most Digital Real Estate for Extreme Multi-family Residential’ building at the Realcomm 2006 conference held in Dallas, Texas last week. The Realcomm Honor Award recognizes outstanding individuals and companies for being among the most innovative in the Commercial Real Estate industry. These outstanding individuals and companies are credited with being pioneers in transforming the real estate industry into a 21st Century Digital Model.

Located on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, Barbizon/63 (formerly the Barbizon Hotel) is a luxury high-rise condominium. Berwind converted the Barbizon into 66 high-end apartment units equipped with state-of-the-art, fully interoperable technology.

ShoreGroup designed and implemented a fully integrated network connecting HVAC systems, lighting controls, card access controls, video surveillance, voice and data communication systems, and inclusive home automation services such as Internet access, Wi-Fi, intercom and eConcierge services supplied by a multitude of leading technology suppliers. Each condominium unit features IP telephones with touch panels that act as a thin client interface to systems on the network. The foundation for the design is a redundant IP network supporting voice-over-IP, broadband Internet access and all building management systems. The deployment enables the connectivity of all building management systems on a single network - avoiding the time-consuming and costly endeavor of having to implement and manage disparate proprietary networks for each building system.

Providing a complete solution capable of both monitoring and managing building systems via a single network operations console was a key differentiator in ShoreGroup’s participation in the Barbizon/63 development project. ShoreGroup’s CaseSentry System Management solution monitors all building systems, providing fast identification, visualization and communication of issues to enable immediate remediation efforts that minimize the impact to building residents. Integrated workflow and case management applications streamline the handling of issues and service requests within a unified CaseSentry Building Operations Center (BOC) portal.

“ShoreGroup has been a recognized leader driving the intelligent building effort as evidenced by this award to Berwind Property Group,” said Jim Young, the founder of Realcomm who presented the award. “This application truly stands out as the most farsighted and advanced in the nation."

The Barbizon/63 renovation project is truly a first for New York City. By taking advantage of technologically open standards and communications coupled with end-to-end systems management, ShoreGroup has successfully converged the network and building automation systems into one IP-based network providing Berwind with a real estate property that encompasses advanced capabilities while at the same time reducing maintenance and operating costs. “ShoreGroup has been one of our lead technology partners in integrating and monitoring our building’s advanced technology and infrastructure. We are proud to have been selected as one of the nations most advanced buildings,” said Cory Hilderbrand, Director of IT for Berwind Property Group.

“This award emphasizes that the Converged Intelligent Building is not only a reality, but a significant sign of exciting things to come in the real estate space,” said Carl Gambello, Director of Advanced Automation Solutions at ShoreGroup. “Advanced technology buildings are being sought after by customers and commanding premium prices. The future of healthcare, hospitality, education, commercial and residential buildings -- even stadiums -- will be changing. They’ll be migrating to a single, consolidated, all IP infrastructure with unified management. This award recognizes the Barbizon/63 as the blueprint for the future.”

About ShoreGroup, Inc.

ShoreGroup is an employee owned converged solutions provider delivering CaseSentry Systems Management applications, ShorePatrol maintenance services and infrastructure professional services. As a Cisco Gold Certified Partner with IP Communications Specialization, and a Cisco IP Contact Center (IPCC) Enterprise Advanced Technology Provider (ATP), ShoreGroup designs, deploys, maintains and develops leading management and workflow applications for high availability converged networks, customer contact centers and intelligent buildings. Technology expertise includes IP Telephony, VoIP, communications systems and applications, systems and network management, LAN/WAN, building systems, physical layer infrastructure and wireless. Founded in 1999, with over 300 global and national customers, ShoreGroup is based in New York City and Syracuse, NY.

ShoreGroup and ShorePatrol are trademarks, and CaseSentry is a registered trademark of ShoreGroup, Inc. Cisco and Cisco Systems are registered trademarks or trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or affiliates in the U.S. and certain other countries.

CONTACT:
Glenn Yeeles
ShoreGroup, Inc.
The ShoreGroup Building
460 West 35th Street
New York, NY 10001
(212) 364-6800
http://www.shoregroup.com

Posted by Joe at 9:53 AM | Permalink

AVENTURA, Fla., July 5 /PRNewswire/ -- SkyRise Development Group, one of the nation's premier commercial real estate development firms, has announced the formation of a new residential division to be known as The Condo Group. The announcement was made by David Houri, principal of SkyRise, who will also serve as the CEO of the new division.

The Condo Group specializes in the development of new condominium communities as well as the renovation and conversion to condo of existing rental properties. The company's custom designed proprietary software allows the developer to efficiently track and manage all the steps involved in the conversion process. During the past year, the company's unique formula for property analyses, acquisition, financing, property renovation and management, and sales and marketing, has resulted in the conversion of close to 1000 units in such properties as The Residences in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Villagio On The Lakes in Port Orange, Florida. Currently, The Condo Group is completing the successful conversion of a 60's era rental community on the Indian River in Titusville, Florida and is working on projects in Pennsylvania and Arizona as well as Nevada and Florida.

The Condo Group is headquartered in SkyRise's corporate offices at 19495 Biscayne Boulevard, Suite 501, Aventura, FL 33180. The new division is actively seeking additional properties for development, utilizing the parent company's broad capabilities for owning, building, managing and financing.

For more information on The Condo Group, visit our website at http://www.thecondogroupinc.com or call 305-931-7470.

Posted by Joe at 9:50 AM | Permalink