Prince William County Homeowner &
Condominium Associations Leadership Seminar
October 24, 2014
WE’RE FROM THE
GOVERNMENT…
AN OVERVIEW OF THE OFFICE OF
THE COMMON INTEREST
COMMUNITY OMBUDSMAN AND THE
COMMON INTEREST COMMUNITY
BOARD
Heather Gillespie, CIC Ombudsman
Trisha Henshaw, Executive Director, CIC Board
Organizational Chart - DPOR
Agency Director
Administrative
Assistant
Regulatory
Boards (includes
CIC Board)
CIC
Ombudsman
Office
Fair Housing
Licensing,
Investigations,
Compliance
DPOR – In a Nutshell
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Executive branch agency under the Secretary
of Commerce and Trade
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18 regulatory boards and programs.
Regulates specific professions and occupations, as determined by the
General Assembly.
200 employees serve more than 300,000 individuals and businesses
Issues professional credentials — licenses, certificates or
registrations
Goal is to ensure minimum competency necessary to practice without
harming the public,
Policy boards determine minimum standards and qualify regulants
based on education, experience and examination.
DPOR – In a Nutshell (cont’d)
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Enforces standards of professional conduct.
Investigates reports of regulatory violations and seeks
to obtain compliance
When necessary, disciplines licensees – fines, probationary
terms, suspension or license revocation
Unlicensed activity—practicing a profession without a required
state license—is a misdemeanor criminal violation. Regulatory
boards do not have jurisdiction over unlicensed individuals.
Non-general fund agency
Office of the CIC Ombudsman
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Assist members in understanding their rights and the
processes available to them according to cic laws and
regulations ;
Answer inquiries by telephone, mail, electronic mail,
and in person;
Provide information concerning common interest
communities upon request;
Make information available, either separately or
through an existing Internet website;
Receive notices of final adverse decision;
Office of the CIC Ombudsman (cont’d)
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Maintain data on inquiries received, types of assistance
requested, notices of final adverse decision received, actions
taken, and the disposition of each such matter;
Provide referrals to public and private agencies offering
alternative dispute resolution services, with a goal of reducing
and resolving conflicts among associations and their members;
Ensure that members have access to the services provided
through the Office of the Common Interest
Community
Ombudsman and receive timely responses;
Office of the CIC Ombudsman (cont’d)
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Ensure that members have access to the services provided
through the Office of the Common Interest Community
Ombudsman and receive timely responses;
Provide to the Director (if requested) assessments of proposed
and existing common interest community laws and other studies
of common interest community issues;
Monitor changes in federal and state laws relating to common
interest communities;
Provide information to the Director that will permit the Director
to report annually; and
Carry out activities as the Board determines to be
appropriate.
80%
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Phone calls and Emails – Education and Information
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Questions re: common interest community law
Meetings
 Notice
 Access to books and records
 Disclosure packets/resale certificates
 Reserve study
 Method of communication
 Agenda packet
 Harassment
 Collections
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80% (cont’d)
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Complaint Procedures
 Requirements
 Timeframes
 Consideration
 Small
associations?
 Subject matter?
80% (cont’d)
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General Assembly – subject matter expert
CIC Board and Committees
Work with DPOR investigators
Presentations….
Housing Commission
 CIC
Workgroup
 Time-Share Sub Workgroup
20%
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Notices of Final Adverse Decision
Complaints
 No
complaint procedure
 Failure to respond in reasonable
timeframe
Notices of Final Adverse Decision
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Reserve study
Donations
Access to books and records
Maintenance
Amendment of governing documents
Embezzlement
Notices of Final Adverse Decision (cont’d)
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Rehearing
Virginia Nonstock corporation
Proxies
Elections
Method of communication
Manager license
Contact Information
Office of the Common Interest
Community Ombudsman
9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 400
Richmond, VA 23233
 Main
Phone: (804) 367-2941
 Email: cicombudsman@dpor.virginia.gov
 Web: www.dpor.virginia.gov/cic-ombudsman
Common Interest Community Board
The Common Interest Community Board was
established in 2008
 The CIC Board is composed of 11 members
 Membership includes:
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CIC Managers
(3)
CIC-Related
Attorney
Developers of
CICs (2)
CIC-Related
CPA
Self-Managed
Association
Board Member
Time-Share
Representative
CIC Residents
(2)
Current CIC Board Members
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Lucia Anna “Pia” Trigiani (CIC Attorney) – Chair
Christiaan “Chris” Melson (CIC Manager) – Vice-Chair
Enrico Cecchi (Developer)
Elena Ferranti (CIC Manager)
Kristie Helmick (CIC Resident)
Mary Elizabeth “Beth” Johnson (CPA)
Kimberly Kacani (Developer)
Tom Mazzei (CIC Manager)
Jacquelyn “Jackie” Riggs (Time-Share Representative)
Katherine “Katie” Waddell (CIC Resident)
David “Dave” Watts (Association Board Member)
Current CICB Staff Members
Who the CIC Board Regulates
CIC Managers
Certified
Principal or
Supervisory
Employees
POA, Condo, Coop Associations
Condominium
Projects
Time-Share
Projects
Time-Share
Exchange
Companies
How Does the CIC Board Regulate?

Responsible for Developing/Implementing
Regulations
 Common
Interest Community Manager Regulations
 Condominium Regulations
 Time-Share Regulations
 CIC Management Information Fund Regulations
 CIC Ombudsman Regulations
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Issues licenses, certificates, registrations, as
appropriate
Disciplinary Authority
What Disciplinary Authority?
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Licenses/Certificates
 Fine
 Suspend
 Revoke
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Registrations
 Cease
and Desist Order
 Injunction
 Revocation
 Fine/Monetary Penalty
CIC Board – By the Numbers
Type
10/01/2014
Population
CIC Managers
179
Certified Employees
323
Associations
5,691
Condominium Projects
319
Time-Share Projects
82
Time-Share Exchange Companies
22
What You Should Know About CIC
Manager Licensing

Anyone providing management services to an
association must have a CIC Manager License, unless
exempted. A few exemptions are:
Employee of an association
 Resident acting without compensation
 Resident providing only bookkeeping, billing, or
recordkeeping services for compensation, but only if
covered by association’s employee dishonesty insurance
policy
 Member of governing board acting without compensation
 Attorney providing legal services
 CPA providing bookkeeping or accounting services
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And Don’t Forget About Certified
Principal or Supervisory Employees
Employee Certification
Required as of July 1, 2012, for
Employees of manager with principal responsibility for
management services to a CIC
Supervisory responsibility for employees who participate in
providing management services
Unless under the direct supervision of a certified employee,
or within 2 years of employment
A common interest community manager that does
not have the appropriate employees certified
cannot renew the manager license with the Board.
Finally, Association Requirements
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Each property owners’, condominium unit owners’, and
cooperative lessees’ association must:
File an annual report with the CIC Board
 Provide contact person, which may be an employee of the
CIC Manager
 Notify the CIC Board of changes in the Board of Directors
 Certify that it has an association complaint procedure in
place
 Maintain a blanket fidelity bond or employee dishonesty
policy, if the association is collecting assessments
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Information Overload? How to Stay
Informed
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DPOR Website: www.dpor.virginia.gov
CIC Board Website:
www.dpor.virginia.gov/Boards/CIC-Board/
CIC Ombudsman Website:
www.dpor.virginia.gov/CIC-Ombudsman/
Virginia Regulatory Town Hall:
www.townhall.virginia.gov
Virginia Regulatory Town Hall
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Why use Town Hall?
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Registered Public Users get notified by e-mail of regulatory actions
and meetings
You may sign up to receive notifications from all Boards or specific
Boards
Participate in the regulatory process through online comment forums
during open public participation periods
Information found on the Town Hall website includes, but is not limited
to:
o
o
o
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o
Board Meetings
Board Minutes
Regulatory Actions
Public Comments
Board Contact Information
What:
When:
Common Interest Community Board Meeting
All Board Meetings begin at 9:30 a.m.
2014
2015
December 4, 2014
March 26, 2015
June 4, 2015
September 10, 2015
December 10, 2015
Where: DPOR, Perimeter Center, 2nd Floor, 9960 Mayland Drive,
Richmond, Virginia
Note:
Public Comment Period at the Beginning of Every Board
Meeting
CIC Board Contact Information
Common Interest Community Board
Send mail to:
Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation
Perimeter Center
9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 400
Richmond, Virginia 23233
Website: www. dpor. virginia. gov
Phone: 804-367-8595
Fax: 866-490-2723
Email: CIC@dpor.virginia.gov
ANY QUESTIONS?