HOA Property Manager Licensing Nabs First Culprit, but.....

Colorado implemented an HOA Property Manager (PM) Licensing Program July 1, 2015.  The intent is to provide home owner protections against unscrupulous business practices in the HOA property management industry.  DORA, the agency managing the program, nabbed its' first culprit this past week after the program has been functioning for nearly six months.  This is some good news for home owners and a flag waving and press release event for DORA.   The Colorado HOA Forum, Colorado's largest and most recognized HOA home owner's advocacy organization, was a force to promote licensing and applauds this single event.

As always seems to be the case with DORA and HOAs and HOAs and legal enforcement of HOA related law, all that glitters is not gold.  Let us bring the home owner up to date on what has and is really happening with the licensing program:  serious backlog in processing complaints; known unlicensed PMs to DORA have gone months without any corrective action; although the recent culprit was prevented from practicing there should have been accompanying fines and recommendations for criminal prosecution; DORAs feedback to complainants (home owners) is slow, inadequate, or non-existent; DORA implemented licensing rules that favor the industry it is supposed to regulate thus making PM responsibilities and accountability more difficult to prosecute;  the web site makes filing complaints and looking up licenses less than an easy and accurate experience ignoring suggestions for improvement;  the law needs to be changed to provide financial and credentials relief to the smallest of PM's that in some cases the cost to acquire a license is more than a year's income; and requirements for full disclosure of HOA Transfer fees charged home owners by PMs involves an insulting definition of full disclosure, a one liner on a home closing statement, that ensures home owners can't challenge the legitimacy of this abusive and illegal fee that cost home owners nearly $10 million a year.

The licensing program to date has been more a fees collection, business cost imposition, and tool for special interests to sell educational classes than one of consumer protection.  The licensing law and DORA rules have been unduly influenced by interest groups representing the PM industry,  the Community Association Institute (CAI), with home owner input scant.  DORA has had well over a year to implement this program and home owners deserve more.  The law can and must work and home owners will benefit.  Legislation is needed to rectify deficiencies in the law to make this program provide the consumer protections intended.  Our organization will continue to work with legislators to have the voice of home owners and small businesses heard.

HOA Manager Licensing: Heavy on Fees Lite on Consumer Protections

The HOA Manager licensing law goes into effect July 1.  Expect little reform for HOA home owners.  Property managers (PM) will be greeted with new fees, higher operating costs, and costly licensing requirements.  This Law illustrates what happens when the industry trade group for PMs (Community Association Institute (CAI)) writes the law and uses it to promote its’ financial interests.

The law increases PM business insurance costs, requires recurring license renewal and educational costs, imposes new background check and testing fees and for those who want to avoid State educational requirements and testing they will incur CAI membership, educational, testing and seminar costs. These costs have already resulted in PMs that serve smaller (less than 25 homes) HOAs to go out of business.

The fees, business costs and government involvement would be more tolerable if the law accomplished its’ intended goal of consumer protection.  However, the law is vague on the most simple demands and accountability for property managers: 1) there are no direct statements mandating PMs comply with all State laws and an HOA’s governing documents 2) no direct statements that require PMs to advise an HOA when they observe non-compliance with the law or to report to DORA when such advice has been ignored and violations continue  3)  no direct statements that hold PMs accountable when they carry out requested actions of a Board that are in non-compliance with the law or an HOAs governing documents  4) no mandates for PMs to provide home owners with a detailed explanation or legal justification of fees and assessments (such as the HOA Transfer Fee) they independently impose and retain and 5) no requirement to explain and justify in detail all PM fees in their contracts with the HOA.  Repeated requests to DORA (Department of Regulatory Services) and legislators from Colorado’s largest HOA home owner’s group, Colorado HOA Forum, to include these simple specifics have been rejected making reform and enforcement for home owners very difficult.  Legislators also refused to include in the Law assistance to smaller HOA PMs by reducing their licensing costs and requirements.     

Licensing also witnessed an unprecedented and disturbing legislative act.  The Law contains language directly promoting a private entity’s (CAI) sales products and educational courses.  It also allows the industry that is to be regulated (CAI) to develop and complete State educational, testing, and credentialing requirements none of which have been officially reviewed or approved by the State.

Then there is the missing legislative mandate in licensing rules to address meaningful “full disclosure” of all fees and assessments on home owners by PMs.  Specifically, the HOA Transfer Fee that cost HOA home owners millions each year will continue without any limits or justification.  DORA decided a one-liner on home closing documents with no receipt and/or detail of charges is “full disclosure” of this fee. 

Legislation/licensing that is crafted by the interest group to be regulated should be disconcerting to home owners and businesses.  The CAI has dominated the PM industry and HOA legislation in Colorado for decades.  Their influence and leadership has led to the need for licensing and reform.  July 1, 2015 was to be a good beginning on reforming the abuses in the PM industry but HOA home owners will sadly see little change.

Colorado HOA Form: an HOA Home Owner Advocacy Organization

 

Colorado HOA Manager Licensing Program Flawed

"HOA Exams Prove Tough", Denver Post May 17

HOA Exam Difficulty Related to DORA Incompetence

Exams based on educational requirements would not have this failure rate.  The educational courses promoted on the DORA web site and in State licensing legislation, HB 1277, have never been reviewed for content and relevance to the State exam. In fact the courses offered by the Community Association Institute (CAI), that represents the property management industry and makes a lucrative business by selling educational courses, got DORA and State legislatures to promote their courses (highly inappropriate) even before the final rules of conduct, requirements, and test exams were completed.  Property manager candidates believe endorsement indicated the proper study material.  Further, DORA has never completed an official review of CAI courses (that most candidates purchase to fulfill their educational requirements and acquire exam related knowledge) to ensure new HOA laws are even included in CAI material.

 

In our most recent legislative session a few legislators put together a successful Bill, HB 1343, to supposedly "streamline" and fix" the licensing process even though no known problems have been reported and no experience officially existed in the program (it is not effective until July 1, 2015).  The Bill was created with direct involvement of the CAI and DORA and once again it promoted only CAI courses that have never been officially approved for Colorado State testing relevance, it included licensing exemptions for executive types that surely need the training, and didn't "streamline or fix" any known problems officially reported by DORA with the educational courses or testing program. 

The actions by DORA and our legislators have resulted in property managers spending their time and money taking courses that doom them to failure in the exam and will drive many out of business.  The program has turned more into a fees collection and test taking initiative than a law about consumer protection and promoting competency and accountability in the industry.  Until DORA completes an official review and approval of course material that ensures educational material is relevant to testing the licensing program should be put on hold.