CAI-NJ Sep.2016

MANAGER’S LICENSING/ CERTIFICATION — Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Going By Caroline Record, Esq., Hill Wallack, LLP

C AI has supported a mandatory reg- istration system for community asso- ciation managers with protection for homeowners, mandatory education and testing requirements with testing on fun-

Caroline Record is a partner in the Morristown office of Hill Wallack. She was Chair of the LAC in 2000-2001 and returned to the LAC in 2009 after spending 6 years on the CAI Board of Trustees. Caroline has participated extensively in the drafting

damental knowledge, standards of conduct and appropriate insurance requirements. CAI opposes the licensing of community association managers as real estate brokers, agents or property managers.

of the proposed legislation and discussing the benefits of the bill with all relevant parties. She received the CAI-NJ President’s Award in 2014 for her efforts.

There are currently 9 states in the country with a community manager licensing, certification or registration requirement in effect. There are also 11 states with legislation pending with regard to the licensing/certification of community association managers. In New Jersey, a certifi- cation requirement was part of the all-encompass- ing UCIOA legislative effort of the 1990s. For many years I had listened to and participated in conversations with community managers wanting what they did for a living to be recognized as a profession and seeking a way to make sure that only those qualified could be known as a community association manager and continue to participate in the profession as long as certain professional require- ments were observed. In 2012, following a 3 year investigative process by a task force comprised almost entirely of man- agers, the first attempt at a stand-alone manager licensing bill was introduced in New Jersey. The bill was described and advocated as a consum- er protection bill primarily for the benefit of the

Courtesy CAI-NJ.

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