From The Atlantic

When a college degree isn’t enough, Small-bite credentials are being used as supplements.

Last June, Martin Chibwe, a computer-science major, graduated from Evergreen State College, in Olympia, Washington, a liberal-arts campus with a hipster ethos that shuns letter grades and urges exploration (“We don’t tell you what to take,” its website promises). His computer-science courses covered topics like programming, machine learning, and artificial intelligence; Chibwe even did a project on recommendation algorithms for an online library.

But days after getting his diploma, and despite the big investment ($39,000 in student loans), he sought another credential to “stack” on top to make him more marketable. He enrolled in Udacity’s iOS Developer Nanodegree program, a five-course cluster from the online platform known for its techie-skills focus. Cost: $900.

“I knew I needed help to land a job,” said Chibwe. In January, he was hired to develop apps at the National Center for Telehealth and Technology near Tacoma, Washington.

Chibwe’s experience underscores a new truth: The bachelor’s degree may be the classic pass to join the world of work, but increasingly it’s no longer enough. And that prompts a provocative thought: Could credentials replace traditional education? Do we need college?

The country has entered a “prove it” economy in which codified skills are currency. It’s driving a revolution in how education is constructed, delivered, used—and credentialed. Even as degrees, from associates to doctorates, proliferate, they are joined—maybe trumped—by thousands of resume-worthy credentials from shorter, non-degree programs.

The credentials come from many sources: traditional universities; online platforms like edX; trade organizations like the American Hotel and Lodging Institute; and companies like Jiffy Lube and IBM. Content and costs vary. Some are earned in quick sessions; others take months. Programs may charge tens of thousands of dollars—or nothing.

Within the credential universe, you find badges and certificates (earned for completing a course) as well as licenses and certifications (which require an exam and must be renewed). Like a real-life game of Pokémon, people are collecting and stacking them—mixing, sequencing, or combining—to show off their powers.

In March, MissionU, a new 12-month college alternative combining in-person and online learning, opened applications for its first major, Data Analytics + Business Intelligence. Students apply as they would for college, but once they begin, instead of parsing Chaucer or Pope, they will study subjects such as business writing and project management. There’s no tuition; its graduates will pay 15 percent of their income for three years once they hit $50,000.

Adam Braun started the company as “an alternative for those looking for more career focus.” While students need higher education, he said, “what they don’t need is a system that tells every single person that they need a bachelor’s degree to thrive.”

Getting a handle on the number of credentials being awarded is difficult; government data-keepers count an educational certificate only when it represents a student’s highest level of achievement. That doesn’t capture what many people are doing: earning credentials even if they have a degree. And there is no count of badges. The best estimate is from a 2012 federal survey that found one-quarter of adults had licenses, certifications, and/or educational certificates. But that misses the rapid rise of short-term online-education offerings over the past five years.

Certainly, the call for timely, narrow credentials is shaping a new way of thinking about education—as a combination of parts rather than a sum. Just as the record album gave way to the self-curated playlist, it is increasingly possible to buy and learn only what you need and want.

Very Positive Outlook for the Career Path of Credentialed Community Association Managers

Community association management remains a strong career path, both in the U.S. and abroad. The job market here at home has dramatically changed over the last decade, with many once-secure positions having shifted out of the country. For the foreseeable future, community association management’s person-to-person focus will protect it from automation, robots, or companies moving overseas, making it a great career choice.

The Community Associations Institute (CAI) estimates that as of 2016, there are approximately 342,000 to 344,000 community associations in the United States housing over 68 million residents. This is a significant increase, up from 222,500 community associations and 42.5 million residents in 2000. As the number of people living in community associations increases, so does the number of jobs for community association managers.

What is a Community Association Manager?

According to a recent NAHB Survey, around 80% of recent homes that are built in subdivisions are in some type of community association. These associations represent and oversee the interests of the residents in the community. Each association typically has a community association manager who maintains and manages common areas of the community, including recreation facilities, pools, and the common grounds.

A community association manager, though, often has a range of other responsibilities. She or he might be responsible for ensuring the overall safety of the community, handling residents’ suggestions and complaints, creating budgets for the community, and collecting association fees. In some areas, cities and counties rely on common interest communities to provide services like road repair and snow removal.

A day in the life of a community association manager is interesting and varied:

• The Everything Job: As a community association manager, you’re essentially in charge of anything and everything that ensures the safe running of the community. Financial advisor, sewer expert, neighbor dispute de-fuser, community project overseer, and more – these are just some of the hats you’ll wear in community management.
• The 24/7 Problem Solver: That doesn’t mean a 24-hour work day, but since problems come up any time of the day, you need to be available to promptly respond to a resident’s call.
• Board Support: It’s often the case that community association boards are made up of homeowners who have their own careers. These volunteers are often left with little free time to follow up on issues affecting the efficient running of the community. As a manager, you need to be aware of local statutes, rules, and regulations that affect decisions so that you can advise the Board accordingly.
• Staff and Vendor Management: Managing diverse trades such as security, lawn maintenance, and building repairs take a lot of skill and even more patience. Consistent follow-up to ensure jobs get done is crucial as, in the end, you must report to the Board on the state of the community.

The bottom line? As the responsibilities for the position increase, more skilled employees are required at the community association management level.

Certified Manager of Community Associations

It is critical that community associations are run by qualified, credentialed professionals because purchasing a home is often the biggest investment a person will make. Living in a community that is well-run gives peace of mind to homeowners and management companies alike.

The field of community association management is very accessible and does not require a college degree. But, if you’re serious about becoming a community association manager – and earning more money –  you must acquire the skills and training needed to competently perform the job.

Previous management experience is also a plus, even if it’s in another industry. Property management experience, in particular, can be helpful. New community association managers also tend to receive on-the-job training and in the process, learn the policies unique to the community they serve.

It stands to reason that the more qualified you are, the more of an edge you will have over other job applicants. Even if you don’t have the previous experience many employers hope to find, there are things you can do to improve your chances. Some people find it helps to take voluntary steps to ensure landing that coveted position. For example, you can keep up-to-date on industry advances and changes, or seek a professional designation or certification.

CMCA – The Essential Credential

The Certified Manager of Community Associations (CMCA) credential is key to building a successful career in community association management. It signifies to employers that you are competent in specific management practices and are committed to professional excellence, ethical business standards, and continuing education. Employers are always on the lookout for dedicated professionals, and the CMCA certification after your name can often make the difference between whether or not you land the all-important first interview.

The CMCA credential is highly accessible:

• It can be achieved with a minimal investment of time and money on your part.
• It takes just a few days of prerequisite course work, one day for an exam, and some time for study in between.
• It’s relatively low cost is a great investment in your future.

Obtaining the CMCA credential is a great first step in building your professional expertise and image. It opens the door to earning additional credentials and higher earnings – on average 18% more than non-credentialed community association managers.

Career Outlook

Job prospects in the field of community association management are excellent. According to CAI’s Community Association Manager Compensation and Salary Survey, it’s estimated that 24% – 26% of all ownership housing is in one of the three basic types of community associations. Many new job opportunities will open for those interested in the field, while others will arise from the need to replace community association managers who transfer, retire, or leave the field. As of May 2016, the median annual wage for community association managers was just over $57,000.  Employment in the industry is projected to grow eight percent from 2014 to 2024.

As job prospects and wages vary from state to state, it’s a good idea to check out your area’s particulars.

Is a Certified Manager of Community Associations Career Right for You?

This may be an excellent career choice for you if you have a strong interest in working for community associations, providing the management activities they need to keep residents satisfied. As a certified manager, you should have a thorough knowledge of the policies of the community association you hope to work for.

Attention to detail, flexibility, good organization skills and, as previously mentioned, that all-important patience, are essential characteristics that good community association managers possess. There’s more! Community association managers must also have excellent interpersonal skills, be able to effectively communicate with a diverse range of people, and be able to deal with a variety of unrelated tasks at once.

All Work and No Fun?

Not at all! The best parts of life as a community association manager are also built into the job itself. Not only do you earn a decent living, but you are constantly learning new things, and meeting interesting people from all walks of life. The odds of becoming bored on the job are slim – there are just too many different and interesting things to do.

That said, community association management is not for everyone. If you prefer a more laid-back work life with fixed hours and minimal or no job-related stress, you might want to pursue another career. But if you’re a real people person who gets excited about staying up to date on frequent community management regulatory changes, possess a positive and enthusiastic attitude towards life, and can keep your wits about you when others around you are stressed, you can’t ask for a more engaging and stimulating career!

Becoming a certified manager of community associations is not merely a certification – it can be the journey of a lifetime. It elevates your credibility as a community association manager and makes employers more confident in hiring you. Finally, it offers you a wealth of opportunity, stability, and growth in an exciting career that shows no sign of slowing down.

by Andrea Drennen, CMCA | Find me on: LinkedIn

If you look at the needs of the typical community association manager, one thing stands out. CAM Managers need more time. Here are a couple of time saving tips and efficiency tricks that add up to real time you can use every day.

Email

• Copy common responses you write to signature blocks in your mail program. Then you can simply drop in a beautifully written reply without having to waste time rewriting it each time, or digging through old emails to copy and paste.
• Don’t be afraid of Auto Reply in your email program. Use it when you need to go off-site, during busy season, when you’ll be in court, etc. People are very understanding of delays if they understand there is a reason for it.

Phone

• Look into a Voice Mail to Email service for your office. This can be very helpful for the manager on the go.
• Develop a hierarchy for who handles what issues. Instead of having homeowners call the manager directly, they should be directed to reception, who can route the call to accounting, or look up a quick piece of information.

Technology

• Invest in web-based management tools that allow you to access your full community data from your smart phone, laptop, or tablet, no matter where you are. Having everything possible in electronic form puts all of the info you need at your fingertips at a moment’s notice.

Take a look at the article below. Do you manage a tiny home community? Do you see these tiny homesteads needing managers in the future? Note the comments about property values and sense of community in the article. Leave your comments below.

By nsmith@timesreview.com

The biggest new trend in home design shows is one of the smallest to implement.

Tiny houses — showcased on popular HGTV shows “Tiny House Builders,” “Tiny House Hunters” and “Tiny House, Big Living” — have taken the internet by storm, with people clamoring to downsize their living spaces.

84 Lumber, an international building supply company with a location in Riverhead, has taken notice of the trend and is beginning to sell its own versions of the small living quarters.

The company offers four different styles — ranging from 150 to 200 square feet and all atop wheels — that give homeowners “financial freedom and a greener environmental footprint,” according to its website.

Each of the designs — The Roving, The Shonsie, The Degsy and The Countryside — offer three options and price points: build it yourself, for just over $6,800; semi-DIY, which ranges from $19,000 to $25,000; or move-in ready, which costs between $49,000 and $80,000. Prices do not include taxes or delivery costs. Interested residents can purchase blueprints for three of the styles (blueprints for The Countryside aren’t available) from 84 Lumber’s website, 84tinyliving.com.

Despite their recent unveiling there, the West Main Street location hasn’t yet sold any of the tiny homes.

“Unfortunately, we don’t know much about it yet; it’s not really out this way,” said Robert Eissler, co-manager of the Riverhead store. “We had one on display for our grand opening, but we haven’t really kicked it all off yet.”

While the parent company has yet to fully implement the new product at the East End location, there’s no immediate rush.

The building departments in both Southold and Riverhead towns said they’ve received calls from people inquiring about building tiny homes, but the tiny home plans don’t meet either town’s minimum size requirements for residential homes.

In Southold Town, residential homes must be at least 850 square feet. In Riverhead, the minimum is 1,200 square feet, meaning the tiny homes are nearly five times smaller than allowed.

“You want to preserve the property values of your neighborhood,” said Brad Hammond, Riverhead’s senior building inspector. “If you have a house and your neighbor has a house and then on the vacant lot someone puts a tiny house on there, I don’t know what that does to the neighborhood.”

The fact that the tiny houses are on wheels is another factor that makes it difficult to legalize them as residences on the North Fork. According to Mr. Hammond, county health standards don’t allow for something mobile to stay at a location permanently.

He added that a interested buyer could potentially work something out with the state to get a tiny home on wheels approved for use as a mobile travel trailer that can be taken to parks, for example, but not approved for use as a permanent residence.

Additionally, he said, the homes would be difficult to tax because of their mobile nature.

“If someone parks [a tiny home] on a lot, you don’t have a sanitation system, or maybe you do, but how do you know what people are pumping into the ground?” he said. “How do you tax it? And there’s permanence to the definition of a family.

You want to know someone’s making a commitment to the community, too.”

Are you part of our LinkedIn group?  Why not?!

To join the CMCA group on LinkedIn, you must first log in to your LinkedIn account. Then visit the group’s page at https://www.linkedin.com/groups/97333 and click the “Ask to Join” button. Your request will be reviewed within 24 hours and you will then receive a notification regarding the status of your request.

Join the conversation!

A Face-to-Face Request Is 34 Times More Successful than an Email

By Vanessa K. Bohns

Imagine you need people to donate to a cause you care about. How do you get as many people as possible to donate? You could send an email to 200 of your friends, family members, and acquaintances.  Or you could ask a few of the people you encounter in a typical day—face-to-face—to donate. Which method would mobilize more people for your cause?

Despite the reach of email, asking in person is the significantly more effective approach; you need to ask six people in person to equal the power of a 200-recipient email blast. Still, most people tend to think the email ask will be more effective.

In research Mahdi Roghanizad of Western University and I conducted, recently published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, we have found that people tend to overestimate the power of their persuasiveness via text-based communication, and underestimate the power of their persuasiveness via face-to-face communication.

In one study, we had 45 participants ask 450 strangers (10 strangers each) to complete a brief survey. All participants made the exact same request following the exact same script; however, half of the participants made their requests over email, while the other half asked face-to-face.

We found that people were much more likely to agree to complete a survey when they were asked in-person as opposed to over email. These findings are consistent with previous research showing that people are more likely to comply with requests in person than over email.

However, prior to making their requests, we asked participants in each condition to predict how many of the 10 strangers they asked would agree to fill out the survey. Participants in the face-to-face condition guessed that on average 5 out of 10 people would agree.  Participants in the email condition guessed that on average 5.5 out of 10 people would agree.  This difference was not statistically significant; participants who made requests over email felt essentially just as confident about the effectiveness of their requests as those who made their requests face-to-face, even though face-to-face requests were 34 times more effective than emailed ones.

Why do people think of email as being equally effective when it is so clearly not? In our studies, participants were highly attuned to their own trustworthiness and the legitimacy of the action they were asking others to take when they sent their emails. Anchored on this information, they failed to anticipate what the recipients of their emails were likely to see: an untrustworthy email asking them to click on a suspicious link.

Indeed, when we replicated our results in a second study we found the nonverbal cues requesters conveyed during a face-to-face interaction made all the difference in how people viewed the legitimacy of their requests, but requesters were oblivious to this fact.

If your office runs on email and text-based communication, it’s worth considering whether you could be a more effective communicator by having conversations in person. It is often more convenient and comfortable to use text-based communication than to approach someone in-person, but if you overestimate the effectiveness of such media, you may regularly—and unknowingly—choose inferior means of influence.           

Your fellow CMCAs are actively posting on the CAMICB listserv.  Can you help them out?  Post a comment here and we’ll make sure we get it to the right person.

1.       How are your communities handling short term rentals?  Our city doesn’t have any restrictions, but the AirBNB and HomeAway sites are taking off in some of our downtown and waterfront condos.

2.       My Board is considering hiring an interior decorator for our clubhouse remodel.  In the past, we’ve done this in-house.  Anyone have experience using a decorator? How did it go?  Was the cost overly expensive?

3.       Is it common to have animal breed restrictions in your associations?  Or do you rely on local ordinances?

HOA Sues Developer for Sinking Community

By KRISTIN J. BENDER

SAN FRANCISCO — A homeowners association representing property owners at a downtown San Francisco high-rise sued the developers on Wednesday for failing to tell residents the condominium tower was sinking at an unexpected rate.

The Millennium Tower homeowners association’s lawsuit is the latest suit filed in a high-profile dispute over the sinking building that opened in 2009. Lawsuits involve the developer, the city and owners of the multimillion-dollar condos.

But Daniel M. Petrocelli, the lead attorney representing the homeowners association, says California law gives homeowner associations sole authority to pursue damages for structural repairs and retrofits. So he says a fix can only be accomplished through the HOA’s lawsuit.

“This is the only case that secures all the money it will take to fix the building and fix it once and for all,” said Petrocelli.

The high-rise that opened its doors in 2009 has been dubbed the Leaning Tower of San Francisco. It has sunk about 16 inches into landfill and is tilting several inches to the northwest. The sinking has been uneven, creating a 2-inch tilt at the base and a roughly 6-inch lean at the top.

A dispute over the building’s construction in the seismically active city has spurred numerous lawsuits involving the developer, the city and owners of its multimillion dollar condos.

Wednesday’s suit comes just a few months after a group of 20 homeowners at the 58-story condominium tower sued developer Millennium Partners and multiple city agencies, alleging that both the builder and public officials knew about, but failed to disclose to buyers, evidence that the luxury high rise was sinking at an unexpected rate.

The claim was filed against developer Millennium Partners, the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection, the city attorney and the Transbay Joint Powers Authority.

“We are disappointed and puzzled that the HOA board now is shifting gears to a disruptive strategy that leaves us no choice but to defend ourselves against false claims. The factual allegations in the Complaint are false, and we look forward to refuting them,” said P.J. Johnston, a spokesman for Millennium Partners.

Stay Current with Smartbrief!

Did you get the Community Association Management SmartBrief this week? CAMICB provides a free, weekly e-mail newsbrief specifically designed for community association managers. Sign up here.

This complimentary resource is aimed at bringing you a quick, two-minute read that will help you keep up-to-date with the latest news and trends in our profession. SmartBrief will provide short summaries of the news articles that will be of interest to you as a community association manager. We know it will save you time, keep you informed and add to your success. I hope you will subscribe.