Designation & Certificate Programs

NAA Education Institute

Purpose

The National Apartment Association Education Institute (NAAEI) is the education arm of the National Apartment Association.

Vision

The NAA Education Institute will be the preeminent national provider of education and apartment career development programs for the apartment industry.

Mission

The mission of the NAA Education Institute is to provide broad-based education, training and recruitment programs that attract, nurture and retain high-quality professionals and develop tomorrow’s apartment industry leaders.

Courses Offered

View all of the AANM designation and certificate programs below. For more information, click on the name of the course below or view our upcoming classes to register.

CAM CAMT NALP CAPS CAS IROP SHCM

You can also view a list of upcoming classes with AANM.

Certified Apartment Manager (CAM)

The onsite manager is a vital link between apartment residents and the community owners and investors. 

Earning your CAM credential allows you to demonstrate your skills, knowledge, and ability to manage an apartment community and achieve owners’ investment goals.

You'll learn about:

• Occupancy rates
• Comprehensive marketing plans
• Sales team management and product readiness
• Equitable treatment of current and potential residents
• Resident retention and the maintenance of a positive company image
• Consistent and ongoing resident communication
• Positive resident service and issue resolution
• Enforcement of company policy in compliance with laws and regulations
• Property inspections
• Preventive maintenance programs
• Service request process
• Apartment turnover process
• Contractors and vendors
• Recruitment, hiring, orientation and training of high-caliber employees
• Systematic employee evaluation
• Employment regulations and record keeping
• Analysis of the property’s financial operations with corrective actions for underperformance
• Monitoring of property performance to achieve the owner’s investment goals
• Accounting principles and practices
• Maximizing net operating income
• Reporting property performance honestly and accurately

CAM Requirements

CAM candidates must complete the following requirements to earn the CAM credential. Candidates must complete the coursework and exam within 12 months of declaring candidacy.

• Minimum of 12 months of onsite property management experience
• Successful completion of CAM coursework, eight modules (40 hours)
• Passing both parts of CAM exam

Certificate for Apartment Maintenance Technician (CAMT)

Maintenance expenses are the single largest controllable element in any operating budget. This course is designed as an introduction for new maintenance professionals or as a refresher for the veteran employee, to give these professionals the knowledge and tools necessary to run an effective maintenance program.

Earning your CAMT validates your knowledge, enhances your reputation and credibility, boosts your confidence and earns you respect.

The CAMT program is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), a private non-profit organization that administers and coordinates the U.S. voluntary standardization and conformity assessment system.

CAMT Requirements

Certificate candidates must complete the following requirements to earn the CAMT credential:

• Candidates must complete coursework and exam within 12 months of declaring candidacy.
• Minimum of 12 months of apartment or rental housing maintenance experience (this requirement may be met after completion of coursework and exam. During that period a candidate holds a Provisional CAMT).
• Successful completion of CAMT coursework, six courses plus online content (80 hours)
  Passing CAMT exam

Certified Apartment Leasing Professional (CALP)

Leasing professionals are the first people prospective residents meet, and often their only gauge of the property staff. This course is designed to teach these professionals skills to help them become top producers.

Earning CALP, your first industry credential, signals to an employer your commitment to a career in residential property management.

You'll learn about:

• Using technology to generate traffic
• Monitoring and managing your community’s reputation
• Inspecting the leasing center, tour route, model units, and vacant apartments
• Shopping the competition while building relationships with competitors
• Compiling a comprehensive community resource tool
• Effective marketing plans
• Relationship sales process and evaluating personal sales performance
• Evaluating a prospect’s commitment level and overcoming objections
• Reviewing the next steps in the sales process with prospective residents
• Applying fair housing laws and communicating rental criteria
• Qualifying prospective residents according to rental policy
• Preparing and reviewing leases with new residents
• The move-in process
• Responding to resident issues and maintenance requests with appropriate follow-up
• Building relationships with residents and creating a sense of community
• Reporting incidents, maintaining documentation, and taking corrective action
• Maximizing revenue and operational efficiency
• Securing and processing lease renewals
• Conducting a market survey

CALP Requirements

CALP Candidates must complete the following requirements to earn the CALP credential. Candidates must complete coursework and exam within 12 months of declaring candidacy.

• Minimum of 6 months of onsite property management experience (this requirements may be met after completion of coursework, Market Survey and exam. During that period a candidate holds a Provisional CALP).
• Successful completion of seven modules (25 hours)
• Passing the Market Survey
• Passing CALP exam

Certified Apartment Portfolio Supervisor (CAPS)

NAAEI’s Certified Apartment Portfolio Supervisor (CAPS) program is an in-depth review of property management principles and techniques as used by the professional supervisor.

Earning your CAPS takes you to the next level in property management. It fast-tracks your career advancement and your corresponding earning potential.

You'll learn about:

• Recruiting high-performing employees
• Employee performance, engagement, and retention
• Minimizing conflict through stakeholder communications
• Ethical behavior and conflicts of interest
• Annual operating budgets and owner performance objectives
• Property and portfolio results
• Due diligence process
• Property takeover process
• Capital improvement plans
• Managing risk through inspections, follow-up procedures, and incident reporting compliance
• Minimizing legal risk and liability
• Regulatory agency oversight of assisted housing
• Analyzing property performance data to inform action
• Management agreements
• Evaluating and reporting property performance using key performance indicators

CAPS Requirements

CAPS candidates must complete the following requirements to earn the CAPS credential. Candidates must complete the coursework and exam within 12 months of declaring candidacy.

• Minimum of 24 months of multi-site property management experience or be a CAM, ARM or RAM credential holder in good standing with 24 months of management experience
• Successful completion of five modules (40 hours)
• Passing CAPS exam

Certified Apartment Supplier (CAS)

Suppliers are important liaisons to the multifamily housing industry. This program is designed as an opportunity for suppliers to hear the everyday challenges faced by the apartment manager customer. The CAS program is ideal for new salespeople as well as veterans of the industry.

Earning CAS allows you to network with your peers from other companies, learn about the benefits and activities your local apartment association offers and engage in apartment association meetings and events. The course is an opportunity for suppliers to hear the everyday challenges faced by apartment-manager customers.

You'll learn about:

• Applicant screening, leasing contracts, and move-ins
• Rent collection, lease renewal, the move-out process, lease termination, and eviction
• Property management systems and their functions
• How community managers create a positive fair housing environment
• Minimizing risk through inspections, preventative maintenance, safety programs, and documentation
• Addressing property and environmental hazards and crime
• Analyzing property financial operations and underperformance
• Monitoring property performance to achieve an owner's investment goals
• Maximizing net operating income

CAS Requirements

CAS candidates must complete the following requirements to earn the CAS credential. Candidates must complete the coursework and exam within 12 months of declaring candidacy.

• Candidates must work in the apartment industry in a supplier partner role
• Successful completion of Supplier Success course
• Successful completion of four modules (18 hours)
• Passing CAS exam

Independent Rental Owner Professional (IROP)

The Independent Rental Owner Professional (IROP) designation program is offered to the rental owner who manages their personally-held multifamily property or properties. The independent rental owner serves several roles in property management, public relations specialist, administrator, chief financial officer, marketing director and operations manager.

Whether you are a new or experienced independent rental owner, earning your IROP gives you an "insider's view" of professional property ownership and management practices.

You'll learn about:

• Key elements of successful rental unit ownership
• Preparing and managing a budget
• Planning taxes strategically
• Establishing relationships with code department representatives
• Protecting and insuring your investment
• Increasing your property's energy efficiency to increase market value
• Screening, hiring, and training employees
• Scheduling unit inspections for preventive maintenance
• Establishing rental rates and marketing to find residents
• Qualifying residents and complying with fair housing laws
• Considering the important elements of an enforceable lease
• Owner liability, rent collection, security deposits, and eviction
• Developing turnkey rental unit preparation and resident move-in processes
• Showing the rental unit and qualifying and screening prospective residents
• Managing resident retention and terminating leases

The IROP Includes:

• Media relations
• Personal safety
• Emergency response and disaster planning
• Human resource management
• Physical versus economic occupancy
• Alternative income opportunities
• Scheduling move-ins/outs
• Lease terminations (military and domestic violence situations)
• Key control
• Resident and neighbor relations

IROP Requirements

IROP candidates must complete the following requirements to earn the IROP credential.  Candidates must complete the coursework and exam within 12 months of declaring candidacy.

• Candidates may own rental property or plan to purchase rental property
• Successful completion of IROP course (12 hours)
• Passing IROP exam

Specialist in Housing Credit Management (SHCM)

The Specialist in Housing Credit Management (SHCM) credential is designed by management professionals for management professionals to ensure they have attained the knowledge, experience and competence required to excel in the housing credit property management industry.

There is a direct correlation between this credential program's level of rigor and the level of benefit reported by SHCM credential holders. This program will allow you to demonstrate your experience and expertise in mastering the complex requirements of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program.

You'll learn about:

• Communicating LIHTC regulations and processes to applicants, residents, owners, auditors, and agency representatives.
• Unit eligibility and calculating fractions, maximum rent and utility allowances
• Preparing for physical inspections, mapping a property and maintaining compliance
• Documenting income limits, developing recertification schedules and processing recertification
• Reviewing rent limit calculations, monitoring utility allowance revisions and applying the 140% rule
• Resolving noncompliance and preparing for audits
• Creating and managing records and retaining files and documentation
• Accommodating accessibility requests.

The SHCM® is offered in association with the NAA, the National Affordable Housing Management Association (NAHMA), and LeadingAge.

Specialist in Housing Credit Management (SHCM) includes:

• Program Regulations
• Applicant Eligibility
• Unit Eligibility
• Monitoring and Compliance
• Programs may be taken as standalone seminars or as a complete course to earn the industry designation.

SHCM Requirements

• Education - successfully accumulate a minimum of 12 hours (actual instruction time) of housing credit specific coursework or training from an approved provider* within two years of sitting for the SHCM exam
• Examination - successfully pass the SHCM exam
• Professional Experience - demonstrate a minimum of two years of housing credit management employment experience through an application process
• SHCM Code of Professional Conduct - commit to a defined code of professional conduct (see below)
  Complete Application - submit your SHCM application along with the $150 application fee.

SHCM certification is valid for one year and must be renewed annually each September. Renewal consists of six hours of housing credit specific coursework or training by an approved provider* per year and $155 renewal fee.

Designate Benefits

Advocacy

NAA’s Government Affairs and Legislation division is dedicated solely to the apartment industry. The federated structure of NAA enables the industry to represent its members and advocate on federal, state and local policy issues.

Education & Career Development

Learn, lead and succeed with the broad-based education and training available only to members. Countless tools and resources for managers, companies and job seekers are just a few clicks away. Access recruitment programs that attract, nurture and retain high-quality professionals, and member-priced online credentials and courses through Visto, NAAEI's online education platform. 

Compliance Solutions

NAA Click & Lease accelerates the leasing process as the industry's trusted platform using online and compliant lease forms.  

Trust your properties are remaining compliant with NAA Click & Comply, NAA's newest maintenance and operations management software that allows property management companies to consolidate processes and systems into one place.

Savings & Discounts

Members enjoy substantial collective purchasing power and receive valuable savings from top retailers and service providers through our NAA Member Savings Program.

NAA Conferences & Expositions

Participate in the industry’s premier networking and education events. Connect with the top apartment home developers, suppliers and management professionals in the industry.

units Magazine & Other Publications

From general topics to more specialized information, NAA members have access to articles, videos and newsletters providing the latest news and most successful trends in the industry.

Legal Assistance Program

NAA has significantly expanded its legal services, which includes the formation of a Legal Assistance Program, aimed at protecting the apartment housing industry by addressing critical industry issues in courtrooms across the nation.

Supplier Opportunities

NAA offers a variety of resources and benefits to our supplier members such as joining the National Suppliers Council (NSC) to elevate brand awareness as well as access to sponsor and advertising opportunities, supplier education credentials, and more!

But to take advantage of all this, you have to be a member.

Find your affiliate and join now

For more information on national credential programs, visit the NAAEI's official site.