New rule impacts property managers -- chicagotribune.com: "'It is illegal to give somebody a haircut or sell a hot dog without a license, but it is perfectly legal in Illinois to be a community association manager with nothing but a business card,' said industry watcher Evan McKenzie, associate professor of political science at the University of Illinois at Chicago. 'Incompetence is a huge problem, and so is criminal misconduct.'"
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It's about time.
5 comments:
Dr. McKenzie,
Your entire comment is excellent. This part, " 'Incompetence is a huge problem, and so is criminal misconduct,'" is right at the belly of the beast! It appears, in many states, I believe the requirements to be an HOA Board Member(s), and "their associate(s) is that you are psychopathic, sociopathic, practice active cronyism, practice active discrimination, terrorize vulnerable populations and have a grave dislike of people and especially anyone who has a life.
God forbid, an honest, competent person gets on one of these boards. They will end up homeless!
Did I mention fraudulent, financial theft of innocent families life savings and equity?
Note that funding comes from the community associations that are supposed to be protected. More money for CAI interests.
Note that the Board is composed of 7 members, 5 of which have to be "licensed" in accordance with the Act. Note the exemptions from licensing - just apply within the next 6 months if you've been "practicing" for 5 years. Let's see how many representatives of HOA management companies and HOA foreclosure attorneys end up on the Board that will be establishing the rules for regulation of their practices.
The Act is an enabling act to permit felons to become Community Association Managers - no wonder CAI supports this bill.
Note the bill amendments that provide that a quorum consists of 4 - so the "licensed" community association managers can dictate the outcome of any decision with or without the input or presence of the homeowner Board reps.
Note the tactic of providing that fees for testing will be paid to the board OR to designated testing services (i.e., off the books of the administrative agency). This is the same tactic employed by CAI managers to direct funds from homeowners to the management company with the HOA and all its members being none the wiser. Wonder which "testing services" will be approved by a Board comprised predominately of CAI licensees?
Certainly licensing is good, but it doesn't do a lot of good if the industry preying upon homeowners has essentially been given control of state regulation of itself. This is the same organization that rewards its attorney members for creating ever more despotic environments for homeowners. Despite allegedly having an ethics and professionalism creed, the same organization does not appear to have ever cited any of its members for violating any ethics. In fact, they tend to induct some of the more unscrupulous ones into their "college" of recognition.
In its current state, this new Commission will serve as state shielding for more bad acts by management companies.
Let's hope the new license law does some good.
Definitely about time. Thanks Evan.
The battle may have just begun. What will be the content? Who will decide? Illinois could end up teaching the gospel according to CAI, as has occurred in other states.
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