National Center for Housing Management

The National Center for Housing Management (NCHM) is a United States nonprofit organization focused on professional development in housing management. It was created in 1972 after President Richard Nixon issued Executive Order 11668, acting on the recommendation of a blue-ribbon task force of national housing leaders chaired by Carter L. Burgess, then chairman of the National Corporation of Housing Partnerships. George W. Romney, who was serving as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, was responsible for creating the center under the executive order. The organization emerged from a practical problem in U.S. housing policy. During the early 1970s, the country was expanding its inventory of affordable housing, but the sector lacked enough trained professionals to operate and administer those properties effectively. NCHM was assigned the related mission of establishing professional standards for housing management and developing the training and supporting resources required to meet them. Although its creation was connected to a presidential initiative and HUD leadership, NCHM was established as a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit rather than as a federal agency. This structure was intended to give it independence from direct political control and allow it to develop objective standards for the profession. Its work has consequently served both public and private housing organizations. NCHM's principal activities are professional training, certification, and employee development. Its subject areas include occupancy administration, tax-credit compliance, affordable-housing regulations, property management, maintenance, finance, fair housing, income verification, rural housing, senior housing, and specialized program compliance. Its certification portfolio has included credentials such as Certified Occupancy Specialist, Tax Credit Specialist, Blended Occupancy Specialist, Certified Manager of Housing, Certified Manager of Senior Housing, Certified Manager of Maintenance, Certified Financial Specialist, Registered Housing Manager, Fair Housing Specialist, HOME Compliance Specialist, Management and Occupancy Review Specialist, Enterprise Income Verification Specialist, and Rural Housing Specialist. A significant recent initiative is Veterans for Housing, launched on March 19, 2019. The program seeks to recruit and train military veterans for careers in housing management, particularly in affordable housing. NCHM pledged $1 million in training and certification scholarships for veterans who were not already working in the housing industry. According to the supplied reference material, the initiative subsequently provided free training to hundreds of veterans and service members transitioning to civilian employment. NCHM has also supported housing-related community investment. It was a major financial contributor to the Save the Soldiers Home project at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The long-term project involves restoring six historic buildings, some dating from the 1860s. Restoration of the principal building was completed in 2021 and produced 101 supportive-housing units for veterans and their families who were experiencing homelessness or were at risk of homelessness. The organization's first president was Samuel J. Simmons, who led NCHM from 1972 to 1981. Paul R. Votto became president in February 2018 and is identified in the supplied reference material as the current president. NCHM remains an active U.S. nonprofit professional-services organization serving the housing-management field.

NCHM was established in 1972 in response to concerns about the professional capacity of the expanding U.S. affordable-housing sector. President Richard Nixon acted through Executive Order 11668 after receiving recommendations from a 13-member blue-ribbon task force of national housing leaders chaired by Carter L. Burgess. George W. Romney, then Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, created the organization under the authority of that initiative. The task force concluded that the growth of affordable housing required a larger and better-trained workforce capable of managing properties, administering occupancy programs, complying with public regulations, and maintaining housing assets. NCHM was therefore assigned a sector-wide standards and training mission. Rather than becoming another federal agency, it was organized as a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The structure was intended to protect its standards work from direct political influence and to support independent, objective professional development. Samuel J. Simmons served as NCHM's first president from 1972 through 1981. Before joining the organization, Simmons had served as HUD's Assistant Secretary for Equal Opportunity and as Director of Field Operations for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. After his NCHM tenure, he became president and chief executive officer of the National Caucus and Center on Black Aged, Inc. Over time, NCHM developed a broad set of educational and credentialing services for public and private housing organizations. Its programs address the operational and compliance responsibilities faced by housing professionals, including occupancy, tax-credit housing, blended programs, fair housing, HOME programs, income verification, maintenance, finance, senior housing, rural housing, and management review. The organization has offered credentials ranging from Certified Occupancy Specialist and Tax Credit Specialist to Certified Manager of Housing, Registered Housing Manager, and several specialized compliance designations. Paul R. Votto was appointed president in February 2018. Under the reference material, NCHM's activities under his leadership include a stronger public-service emphasis through the Veterans for Housing Initiative. Launched on March 19, 2019, the initiative was designed to help veterans and transitioning service members enter the housing-management profession. NCHM pledged $1 million in scholarships covering training and certification for veterans not already employed in the housing industry. The supplied material states that hundreds of veterans and transitioning service members subsequently received free training through the program. NCHM has also participated in preservation and supportive-housing philanthropy. It was a major financial contributor to Save the Soldiers Home, a project at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee. The project is restoring six historic buildings, including structures dating to the 1860s. Completion of the principal building's restoration in 2021 created 101 supportive-housing units for veterans and their families who were homeless or at risk of homelessness. The organization's documented development reflects a continuing role as a professional infrastructure institution rather than a conventional consumer brand. Its services are aimed at housing employers, property managers, compliance personnel, maintenance staff, and other practitioners. NCHM's identity is consequently tied to standards, credentials, workforce development, and support for the administration of affordable and regulated housing.

• 2021

  Milwaukee Soldiers Home restoration milestone

  [1]National Center for Housing Managementen.wikipedia.org

  Restoration of the main building in the Save the Soldiers Home project was completed, resulting in 101 supportive-housing units.

• 2019

  Veterans for Housing Initiative launched

  [1]National Center for Housing Managementen.wikipedia.org

  NCHM launched its veteran recruitment and training initiative on March 19, 2019.

• 2018

  Paul R. Votto appointed president

  [1]National Center for Housing Managementen.wikipedia.org

  Paul R. Votto was appointed president in February 2018.

• 1981

  End of Simmons presidency

  [1]National Center for Housing Managementen.wikipedia.org

  Samuel J. Simmons concluded his tenure as NCHM president after serving from 1972 to 1981.

• 1972

  NCHM established

  [1]National Center for Housing Managementen.wikipedia.org

  NCHM was created following Executive Order 11668 and recommendations from a presidential task force on the professional management of expanding affordable-housing inventory.

• 1972

  Samuel J. Simmons becomes first president

  [1]National Center for Housing Managementen.wikipedia.org

  Samuel J. Simmons became the organization's first president.

A specialized nonprofit standards, training, and certification provider for professionals and organizations operating affordable, multifamily, senior, rural, and other regulated housing.

• Housing-management certification

  Certified Occupancy Specialist

  A professional credential focused on occupancy administration in regulated and affordable-housing environments. The certification belongs to NCHM's broader portfolio for personnel responsible for applying program rules and managing resident eligibility and occupancy processes.

• Affordable-housing compliance certification

  Tax Credit Specialist

  A credential addressing the operational and compliance requirements associated with tax-credit housing. It is intended for housing professionals working with regulated properties and the administrative responsibilities attached to tax-credit programs.

• Housing-management certification

  Certified Manager of Housing

  A management-oriented certification for professionals responsible for housing operations. It represents NCHM's emphasis on formal standards and career development for managers overseeing affordable or regulated housing organizations and properties.

• Senior-housing certification

  Certified Manager of Senior Housing

  A specialized management credential for professionals working with senior-housing operations. The offering extends NCHM's general management framework into a housing segment with distinct resident-service and operational considerations.

• Housing-maintenance certification

  Certified Manager of Maintenance

  A credential for housing maintenance managers and related personnel. It reflects NCHM's inclusion of property upkeep and maintenance administration within the professional standards required to operate housing successfully.

• Housing-compliance certification

  Fair Housing Specialist

  A specialized certification addressing fair-housing responsibilities. It supports professional development for personnel who must understand and apply nondiscrimination requirements in housing administration.

• Workforce-development initiative · 2019

  Veterans for Housing Initiative

  A program launched in 2019 to recruit and train military veterans for careers in housing management, particularly affordable housing. NCHM pledged $1 million in training and certification scholarships for veterans not already employed in the industry.

• 2019Veterans for Housing Initiative

  United States

  NCHM created the initiative to recruit veterans and transitioning service members into housing-management careers, with an emphasis on affordable housing. The organization committed $1 million in training and certification scholarships.

  Outcome. The supplied reference states that hundreds of veterans and transitioning service members received free training through the initiative.

  Source
• Save the Soldiers Home

  Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States

  NCHM was a major financial contributor to a project restoring historic buildings at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center and converting them into supportive housing for veterans and their families.

  Outcome. The main building was restored in 2021 and produced 101 supportive-housing units. The wider project is intended to restore six historic buildings.

  Source

• 2019

  Launch of Veterans for HousingStrategy

  Background

  NCHM identified military veterans and transitioning service members as a potential source of trained talent for the housing-management workforce.

  Action taken

  The organization launched a recruitment and training initiative and pledged $1 million in scholarships for training and certification.

  Aftermath

  The supplied reference reports that hundreds of veterans and transitioning service members received free training.

  Pledged training and certification scholarships. $1,000,000 pledged (2019)

  Source

• 1972

  Establishment as an independent nonprofitStrategy

  Background

  The affordable-housing sector was expanding while the supply of professionally trained housing managers was considered insufficient.

  Action taken

  NCHM was organized as a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit rather than a federal agency, with a mission to develop industry standards and training resources.

  Aftermath

  The structure positioned NCHM as an independent professional standards and workforce-development organization serving both public and private housing organizations.

  Source

• 2021

  Milwaukee Soldiers Home restoration creates supportive housing[1]National Center for Housing Managementen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The main building in the Save the Soldiers Home project at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center was restored, creating 101 supportive-housing units for veterans and their families. NCHM was identified as a major financial contributor to the project.

• 2019

  NCHM launches Veterans for Housing Initiative[1]National Center for Housing Managementen.wikipedia.org

  Campaign · Product launch

  NCHM introduced an initiative to recruit and train U.S. military veterans for housing-management careers, with a focus on affordable housing. It announced a commitment of $1 million in training and certification scholarships for eligible veterans.

1. 1National Center for Housing Managementen.wikipedia.org