Co-op Housing Management Accreditation (CHMA)

Human Relations for Property Managers – core course

In this course, you will learn the fundamentals of human relations, whether as a supervisor, leader, employee, advisor or decision-maker.  You will gain a basic understanding of personnel procedures, recruitment, management styles and business ethics.  You will also learn techniques for interacting with members, the Board of Directors, contractors, regulators, and funders, as well as how to influence, motivate, and work with challenging situations and people.

 Property and Building Administration – core course 

In this course, you will learn the fundamentals of property management and how to manage different types of properties. Key topics include marketing, contract management, insurance, maintenance planning, essential financial reporting and planning, non-profit housing co-operatives, and co-op governance. Other topics include working with a volunteer Board of Directors, the legal framework for Canadian housing co-ops and the International Co-operative Principles.

Building Maintenance for Property Managers – core course 

In this course, you will learn about residential building systems and maintenance needs. You will learn the principles of residential construction, how to reduce risk and maximize the efficiency and life expectancy of building components, how to manage life safety systems, and how to oversee contract management and a capital replacement program in support of long-term asset management plans.

Strategic and Financial Planning for Property Managers – core course 

In this course, you will learn basic accounting principles, how to use and analyze accounting and financial statements, and how to prepare and present budgets for the Board of Directors and members. You will also learn how to support co-op housing members and Boards in setting objectives and strategic plans, including monitoring and reporting on results.

Co-operative Culture and Living (elective)

In this course, you will gain a deeper understanding of co-operative identity and culture and how to put the principles into action, explore member engagement in a co-operative setting and examine co-operatives as community impact institutions. You will further grow your awareness of the co-operative ecosystem both at local and global level and have an opportunity to reflect on how your co-operative engages with its wider community and the larger ecosystem. Finally, you will look at co-operative housing challenges, opportunities and the evolving approaches to co-op housing, along with practices and principles that help create healthy co-operatives, communities and workplaces.