Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Managing Agents topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
House committee forwards bill on condo managing agents amid industry concerns about 'commercial' experience language
Summary
The committee advanced HB252 to the next step with a defective date; witnesses debated whether requiring commercial property experience is appropriate for condominium managing agents and suggested industry certifications instead.
The House Committee on Housing voted to advance HB252 on Wednesday after debate over whether the bill’s proposed experience requirement — phrased as “commercial” management experience — fits residential condominium association management.
Phil Nerney of the Community Associations Institute told the committee the bill “intends to address the problem, but it does so in a random fashion” and that commercial property management and condominium association management are “totally different” specialties. Several witnesses, including representatives of condominium owners and managers, urged certification or nationally recognized accreditation (as proposed in companion bills) rather than a broad commercial‑experience test.
Opponents argued the bill would not require community managers to hold industry certification and said the current language only adds one sentence that designates the managing agent as the broker; that change, they said, would inadequately address training or accreditation gaps. Supporters such as Hawaii Realtors stood on written testimony in support, while community managers and owner‑representatives urged clearer language and an implementation timeline.
Decision: The committee voted to pass HB252 with amendments and a defective date. Members said further definition and policy refinement belong with the Consumer Protection & Commerce Committee (CPC). The committee moved the bill to the next stage with direction that CPC address certification, definitions of experience, and effective dates.
What to watch: Subsequent CPC consideration of certification timelines, the definition of “commercial experience,” and any phase‑in dates for compliance.
