NAHMANewsrelease -- NAHMA Announces New Affordable Housing Maintenance Professional Credential

NAHMA Announces New Affordable Housing Maintenance Professional Credential

August 8, 2007, Alexandria, Va. – The National Affordable Housing Management
Association (NAHMA) today announced the launch of two new credentials for affordable
housing maintenance professionals. The National Affordable Housing Maintenance
Technician (NAHMT) and National Affordable Housing Maintenance Supervisor
(NAHMS) credentials were conceived and designed to recognize those affordable
housing maintenance professionals, who, through their completion of strict NAHMT and
NAHMS requirements, have met the highest possible industry standards.

The NAHMT and NAHMS credential requirements are comprised of education/training,
work experience and adherence to the NAHMT / NAHMS Code of Professional Conduct.

For details on the new credentials as well as an application, please visit the NAHMA
webpage: http://www.nahma.org/content/maintenancecred.html.

Education Requirement for both NAHMT or NAHMS:
The education component consists of successful completion of an accumulation of a total
of sixteen (16) hours of training over a three-year timeframe, as follows:
-- Two (2) hours of training related to REAC inspections
-- Two (2) hours of training related to lead-based paint
-- Eight (8) hours of training in at least four different maintenance-specific topics
(maintenance topics can include but are not limited to electrical, plumbing, HVAC,
appliances, construction, etc.), and
-- Four (4) hours of fair housing training

The courses/trainings listed above may be provided by any of the following sources:
-- Local, state or regional Affordable Housing Management Association (AHMA)
-- National Apartment Association (NAA) Certified Apartment Maintenance Technician
(CAMT) courses
-- Other national trade associations, professional societies, or community, vocational or
similar educational institutions

Experience Requirement for NAHMT:
-- All NAHMT candidates must accumulate a minimum of two years of experience in
affordable housing maintenance position(s).
-- All work experience must be documented in the Application for Credential (see link
above).

Experience Requirement for NAHMS:
-- All candidates must accumulate a minimum of three years of experience in affordable
housing maintenance position(s).
-- All candidates must supervise / manage a minimum of two staff persons.
-- All work experience must be documented in the Application for Credential (see link
above).

The certified NAHMT or NAHMS professional will be entitled to use the NAHMT or
NAHMS designation on business cards and letterhead. In addition, each NAHMT or
NAHMS will be listed in our online NAHMT / NAHMS national directory.

In addition, earning the NAHMT or NAHMS credential will demonstrate a commitment
to extensive professional development to peers and employers. NAHMA’s credential
programs are well respected in the industry for their specific focus on management of
affordable housing. Most importantly, NAHMT and NAHMS professionals, through their
commitment to the NAHMT / NAHMS Code of Ethics (see below), are dedicated to
providing safe and decent housing to all eligible residents.

Continuing Education
Continuing education is at the core of the NAHMT / NAHMS credential. The NAHMT
or NAHMS credential holder will need to maintain their active status by completing four
(4) continuing education units per year.

Constant changes in technologies and procedures necessitate a continuing effort by
maintenance professionals to remain current in all aspects of their work. Commitment to
competence includes appropriately tailored continuing education programs.

One continuing education unit (CEU) is equal to one hour of instruction/training. In order
for an event to be used as an eligible CEU, it must possess a published agenda and/or a
specific topic area. Workshops, seminars and technical sessions can be used for
continuing education. Events that are in conjunction with a trade show or
association/organization event may be eligible based on the description above. Mere
attendance at a trade show does not constitute continuing education. You may acquire all
of the CEUs in a full-day event or by accumulating the hours from various events that
may be sponsored as shorter sessions/workshops.

Code of Professional Conduct
This Code of Professional Conduct sets forth the principles that each NAHMT or
NAHMS credential holder shall at all times observe:
-- Exercise the highest level of integrity and professional conduct.
-- Exercise reasonable compliance with all federal, state and local laws and regulations
and maintain professional standards.
-- Respect the equal employment and housing opportunity of any person no matter their
race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, age, handicap and any
constitutionally protected class.

How to Apply
All applications must be sent to the local/regional AHMA for approval and signature. If
you do not have the address for your local AHMA, please contact NAHMA at (703) 683-
8630 for further information, or visit http://www.nahma.org/content/map1.html.
The application is available at
http://www.nahma.org/content/Credential%20application/Maint%20Cred%20Application
%2008%2007.pdf.
For more details on NAHMA’s new maintenance credential program, please contact
Brenda Moser at Brenda.moser@nahma.org, or 703-683-8630.

About NAHMA
NAHMA is the leading voice for affordable housing, advocating on behalf of multifamily
property managers and owners whose mission is to provide quality affordable housing.
NAHMA supports legislative and regulatory policy that promotes the development and
preservation of decent and safe affordable housing, is a vital resource for technical
education and information, fosters strategic relations between government and industry
and recognizes those who exemplify the best in affordable housing. Founded in 1990,
NAHMA’s membership today includes the industry’s most distinguished multifamily
owners and management companies.

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