This specialist designation is designed to allow PCAM designees to specialize within their profession. CAI acknowledges the unique aspects of being a large-scale community manager and is providing an opportunity for recognition and continuing education in order for you to expand your career opportunities.
Definition of a community manager: A community association manager will have the knowledge, ethics, professionalism and skills with verifiable experience in financial, administrative, and facilities management in at least one community association, either commercial or residential. The community association manager must be compensated for providing professional guidance and assistance to the board of directors of any association(s) managed by that community association manager, whether the individual is acting as an full time independent contractor, or as an employee of a management firm, or as a general manager or executive director of a common interest development. Management of property other than community associations will not meet the qualifications for community association manager.
Definition of a large-scale community: For the purpose of this program, all elements listed below must be met for a community to be considered to be large-scale:
- A single, contiguous community association with an on-site, full time manager
- A minimum of 1,000 units or a minimum of 1,000 acres
- Provides municipal-type services, such as recreation, stormwater management, roadway maintenance, and neighborhood security.
- A minimum annual operating budget of 2 million dollars
How do you earn the LSM specialist designation?
- This specialist designation is available only to experienced large-scale managers who hold an active PCAM designation.
- A LSM candidate must have a minimum ten years of community association management experience
or five years of community association management experience
and five years of municipal management or a comparable position of responsibility at the executive level,
or hold a Master’s degree in Public/Business/Parks & Recreation Administration.
- Assistant General Managers and Directors actively managing onsite for 10 years or more at a large-scale community may apply with a recommendation from their General Manager.
- A LSM candidate must currently be a professional large-scale manager, for at least five years, responsible for the day-to-day operation of a large-scale community association as defined above.
- A LSM candidate must have attended one CAI Large-Scale Managers Workshop or completed the CAI's M-340 course
within the past five years. - A LSM candidate must have earned a total of 135 points, and the minimum points stipulated per section, prior to submitting the application. Please see the application for a detailed listing of the points available and the section requirements.
- Submit the nonrefundable application fee with the LSM application.
- Member: $115 (Individual Manager Membership)
- Nonmember: $340
How do you maintain the LSM specialist designation?
- Pay annual maintenance fees (due August 1st of each year).
- Member: $75 (Individual Manager Membership)
- Nonmember: $300
- Attain of 75 points every three (3) years which must include the required activities listed on the second page of the redesignation form linked below. Please see the redesignation form for the full details on how points are earned for various continuing education and service activities.
- Comply with the
CAI Professional Manager Code of Ethics.
Please view the
Redesignation FAQs
for more information.
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