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Give yourself a Gift and become a Florida Community Association Manager CAM!

Give yourself a Gift and become a Florida Community Association Manager CAM!

  • Posted: Dec 05, 2019
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Are you looking for a career change? Have you ever thought about becoming a Florida Community Association Manager (CAM)? This license is required to manage a Condominium or HOA in the state of Florida – and there is not exactly a shortage of those. Florida CAM Courses has been offering the required CAM Pre-Licensing Course to students for over ten years, and 88% of our students pass their State Exam and become licensed Florida CAMs. Check out our website here www.floridacamcourses.com

 

Florida CAM Courses is a company based in Vero Beach and serving all of Florida, that provides educational services to those in the community association profession or those that would like to enter our profession. We offer courses in whichever format you like to learn in. Whether you prefer in-person, online self-study or correspondence, you are in great hands with Florida CAM Courses. We provide practice materials at no additional charge and downloadable course materials to help you successfully pass the Florida CAM exam. We also offer a blog for updated news and current events in the CAM world.

How to Get a CAM License

Florida CAM Courses has been helping people in Florida prepare for their state exam and become certified Community Association Managers for over a decade. We know the process that works and can help you in every step of the process. Feel free to reach out to us if you need help.

Coursework

Step 1

Register for a Florida CAM pre-license course, and show up for the class.

Pick One:

Prepare for Exam

Step 2

Get your fingerprints taken and register a time for the State Exam.

Prepare Yourself:

State Exam

Step 3

Schedule a Florida State CAM License Exam and pass it.

Take the State exam:

 

Florida CAM Courses

7150 20th St.
Vero Beach, FL
32966

(800) 269-1055
(772) 563-9320

hello@floridacamcourses.com

 

 

 

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Hire and retain skilled community association staff members

Hire and retain skilled community association staff members

  • Posted: Oct 28, 2019
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Talent needed: How to hire and retain skilled community association staff members

Written by Alicia Muraca on . Posted in General Business.

Recruiting and retaining skilled team members can be challenging for community associations and management companies, especially in a very competitive labor market and with communities limited by tight budgets.

In this reality, it becomes even more important for associations and management companies to highlight their strengths and address organizational shortcomings, says business consultant Bob Begley.

The founder of Golden Sands Management Consultants, LLC, a Florida-based business consulting firm, Begley has been an innovative business thinker for more than 30 years. He has advised hundreds community leaders while serving as the CEO of Golden Sands Community Management, Inc. He’s also authored 27 continuing education courses for CAM’s and board members through his sister company, Florida CAM Courses.

The issue at hand is recruiting in a very different workforce. Begley states, “I noticed that over the past few years, there was a very big disconnect between what the young people that I was hiring wanted from their experience of work and what I needed from them at work, as their employer”. We want to help company leaders understand ways to attract talented workers.

People think that the secret to attracting and retaining talent is little things like, ‘Let’s give them free lunch’ or ‘What perks can we offer?’ or ‘What are our benefits compared to the benefits down the road?’ But at the end of the day, it really comes down to the quality of the organization. Is it successful? Is it high performing? Because good, smart people want to work in those environments.

 

Here are a three best practices for community associations and management companies for recruiting and retaining talent:

  1. Stop thinking about tactics, and start thinking about the performance of the organization. The focus should be on building an organization that is robust and resilient. Great organizations have no trouble attracting and retaining talent.
  2. Build a culture that people want to work in. The perks and benefits can’t be the only lure for bringing in talented workers. I caution you that if the culture doesn’t reflect what was promised to the manager when hired, you’ll find yourself in bigger trouble.
  3. Be courageous. It’s important to brave a tight labor market to find talented people. It’s also about having the courage to build a high-performing team. A team is only as strong as its weakest link, so we need to be capable of managing the performance of the underperformers or, at times, even having the courage to move people on.
  4. Once you find the perfect new hire, treat them as the valuable resource that they certainly should be in your organization. Practice A.R.E. with all team members – Appreciate, Recognize and Encourage. For more on creating Wonder in Your Workplace, visit the Florida CAM Courses website to download Wonder in the Workplace.

 

 

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THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE NEEDS TO MANDATE CONDO AND HOA EDUCATION By Eric Glazer, Esq.

THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE NEEDS TO MANDATE CONDO AND HOA EDUCATION By Eric Glazer, Esq.

  • Posted: Oct 28, 2019
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THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE NEEDS TO MANDATE CONDO AND HOA EDUCATION

By Eric Glazer, Esq.

We all know that condo and HOA board members must get certified within ninety (90) days of getting on to their Board of Directors. Unfortunately however, Florida law allows board members to get certified either by attending an educational course or by signing a ridiculous, silly, self-serving, nonsensical affidavit that says you read your governing documents and promise to enforce them. If you live in a condominium, the affidavit does not require you to say you have read Florida Statute 718. If you live in an HOA, the affidavit does not require you to say you have read Florida Statute 720. In fact, many association documents contain illegal provisions. So leave it to the State of Florida to certify a director who promises to uphold and enforce the illegal provisions contained in their governing documents.

Just a few years ago a Miami Dade County grand jury delivered a blistering report about the state of condominiums in Miami-Dade County. It wasn’t flattering. The grand jury report was on the contrary, a blistering report about just how bad things are in many of our associations. Kickbacks, stealing and conflicts of interest seem to be everywhere. In response to this grand jury finding, The Florida Legislature passed numerous new laws making certain actions a crime. If anyone knows anyone who knows anyone that was arrested under any of these new crimes, let me know because I haven’t heard of anyone. I warned when these laws were passed that the local police departments have murders, rapes and robberies to solve, not election crimes. Sure enough, law enforcement rarely if ever gets involved.

One way that The Florida Legislature could have helped is by mandating that if you want to be a board member you must take an educational class approved by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. There is no requirement under the law that a Board member be an attorney, accountant, contractor, or have any prior experience in association matters of any kind. Yet, when board members are elected or appointed, they are given the keys to the kingdom and are often times in charge of budgets in the seven or eight figures. They need to immediately know some laws, rules, regulations and have a general understanding of their governing documents. When they don’t, money is misspent. Lawsuits happen. Maintenance suffers and ultimately all the unit owners suffer financially. The lawyers do well however.

I have taught the Board Certification educational course to about 20,000 Floridians all across the state. These people wake up early, take time out of their busy lives and all want to become better board members and keep their association out of harm’s way by attending a 3 hour class. It is embarrassing for me to tell them that they were not required to attend today’s class and instead they could have printed out a stupid form off of the internet, signed it, and have become certified to the same extent as if you took this seminar. It’s insane and it’s insane that The Florida Legislature lets this shenanigans and this farce continue.

After having the honor and privilege of practicing in this area of law for 27 years I am delighted that The Florida Bar now recognizes Condominium and Planned Development Law as an area that is complicated and where attorneys themselves can become “certified.” I am honored to be one of a miniscule percentage of attorneys in the state to be certified in this area. Now it’s time for The Florida Legislature to step up to the plate, realize that education must be mandatory and make sure that board members don’t get certified by signing a dumb form. They have to attend a course for a few measly hours before they get to control millions of dollars in cash and real estate and potentially wreck the lives of their fellow owners. If they can’t find the three hours of time to attend the class how are they going to find the time to attend meetings, pass budgets and solve the association’s problems?

If you agree with me, then make your voice heard today. Not tomorrow. Right Now.

Here is the website to find your local Florida Senator and House members: https://www.flsenate.gov/senators/find

Send them an e-mail today that says:

“I’m writing to demand that The Florida Legislature remove the ability of officers and directors of community associations to become certified by signing an affidavit. All Florida community association directors and officers must be required to attend an educational course approved by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation.”

 

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Now That You’re Elected to the Board, Are You Aware of the Reporting Statute?

Now That You’re Elected to the Board, Are You Aware of the Reporting Statute?

  • Posted: Aug 29, 2018
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Now That You’re Elected to the Board, Are You Aware of the Reporting Statute?

Congratulations! You’ve succeeded in being elected as a member to the prestigious world of your Homeowner’s Association Board of Directors! But are you aware of the certification requirements of Fla. Stat. 720.3033 that could suspend or even end your newly “elected official” career before it’s even begun? As a newly elected Homeowner’s Association Board Member you are required to comply with the reporting requirements imposed by the Florida Legislature through the enactment of Florida Statute 720.3033 as amended on July 01, 2013 and that requires all HOA directors to verify that they are prepared and qualified to serve their respective association board in one of two ways.

The first option via §720.3033(1)(a) is that within 90 days after being elected or appointed to the board, each director shall certify in writing to the secretary of the association that he or she has read the association’s declaration of covenants, articles of incorporation, bylaws, and current written rules and policies; that he or she will work to uphold such documents and policies to the best of his or her ability; and that he or she will faithfully discharge his or her fiduciary responsibility to the association’s members.

Board Member Courses can be found on our Calendar of Events

The second option via §720.3033(1)(a) is that within 90 days after being elected or appointed to the board, in lieu of such written certification, the newly elected or appointed director may submit a certificate of having satisfactorily completed the educational curriculum administered by a division-approved education provider within 1 year before or 90 days after the date of election or appointment. Furthermore, according to §720.3033(1)(b), the written certification or educational certificate is valid for the uninterrupted tenure of the director on the board. It would behoove the newly elected or appointed board member to pay heed to this requirement because a director who does not timely file the written certification or educational certificate shall be suspended from the board until he or she complies with the requirement and the board may temporarily fill the vacancy during the period of suspension. However, as a side note, it would be prudent and diligent for the newly elected director to be familiar with and understand both their own associations governing documents and the Florida Statutes applicable to homeowner’s associations.

After you have complied with the reporting requirements of §720.3033, the association shall retain each director’s written certification or educational certificate for inspection by the members for 5 years after the director’s election. However, the failure to have the written certification or educational certificate on file does not affect the validity of any board action as provided in §720.3033(1)(c). It bears noting at this juncture that if for any reason you are removed from or surrender your position as a director prior to the termination of your elected term that you will have to re-certify upon being re-elected or appointed back on the board of directors in the same manner as your initial election or appointment.

Read other Articles for HOA Board Members

 

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Pros and Cons of Living in an HOA Community

Pros and Cons of Living in an HOA Community

Pros and Cons of Living in an HOA Community

Pros:

  • The homeowners association pays for common areas like swimming pools, spas, tennis courts, parks, private roads, sidewalks and clubhouses you are able to enjoy a pool without having to maintain or clean it, or enjoy a playground or garden without the hassle of maintenance.
  • Some HOA’s also offer services like lawn maintenance to keep the neighborhood looking good all the time. You don’t have to hire someone yourself and your property always looks pristine.
  • Homes within HOA communities typically maintain their values better than non HOA deed restricted communities. By regulating the appearance of common areas your curb appeal and home price tend to be higher.
  • Often, HOAs promote a strong sense of community. Friends can gather at the clubhouse or common areas, people get to know their neighbors, and there are usually social functions planned year round.
  • Issues with neighbors like unwanted cars parked in front of your house are handled by the association, taking the pressure (and responsibility) off of residents.

 

Cons:

  • The price of your perfectly manicured lawns could be losing the freedom to choose your holiday decorations or the color of your house. There are rules and restrictions and the HOA documents can dictate what you can and cannot do in common areas.
  • A homeowner may encounter restrictions if they want to rent out their property. The association may require potential renters to be screened and approved by the HOA board, how much you charge for rent could also be regulated along with the duration of the rental. Some HOA’s ban rentals altogether.
  • The more amenities that are offered, the more the monthly dues can be. Sometimes the extra expense of monthly dues may more than some homeowners can afford.
  • Some HOAs are poorly managed by board members who don’t have enough time to devote to the community. Others too might be managed by a third party company (property manager) which can feel like giving up control of your neighborhood.

 

Before purchasing a property within an HOA or condo community it is very important that you find out how the association is run, how much the monthly association fees are, what the fees cover and how much money is in the reserve fund to cover any large expenses such as replacing a clubhouse roof. Always get a copy of the rules and regulations before you purchase so that you are completely aware of what you can and cannot do within the community. For example, if you purchase within a condo/townhouse community where there are zero lot lines, more than likely you won’t be able to touch the landscaping outside your home. If you are an avid gardener then this is definitely something you will want to consider before purchasing.

One thing that is a must is:  Education! Managers and Board Members can sign up via their Email Addresses we have Articles written by members that are sent weekly to our industry.

SFPMA and its members provide the industry with information, Events, Services, Forms, Legal for Condo and HOA’s, Our members are the Trusted Service Companies, Businesses and Management Professionals that help Condo & HOA’s all over Florida.

 

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