Credential for Green Property Management™ (CGPM™)

CGPM Application (fillable form)

2024 NAHMA Continuing Education Tracking Form

The National Affordable Housing Management Association (NAHMA) and National Apartment Association Education Institute (NAAEI) offer the Credential for Green Property Management™ (CGPM™) to on-site managers, maintenance staff and supervisors of front-line staff based on green building principles and best practices, and HUD Office of Affordable Preservation (OAHP) – established guidelines, with training offered by OAHP-recognized trainers.

The Credential for Green Property Management will provide management companies and owners a mechanism for meeting their initial and ongoing training commitments to OAHP if they have opted for a green Mark-to-Market restructuring.

The Credential for Green Property Management is not restricted to employees of management companies who have opted for OAHP green restructuring. This credential will also benefit on-site managers, maintenance staff and supervisors of front-line staff at other affordable and conventional apartment communities employing Green Operations and Maintenance Practices.

  • Credential holders will learn the latest techniques and technologies for making cost-saving green improvements at properties.
  • Credential holders will receive:
    • Subscription to NAHMA News
    • Subscription to NAHMA’s NAHP Update
    • Subscription to NAAEI’s Units magazine
    • Subscription to NAAEI’s Industry Insider e-newsletter
    • Inclusion in NAHMA’s online Credential Directory
    • Opportunity to participate in NAAEI events at member rate
    • Pin and certificate

What are the Credential for Green Property Management Requirements?

The HUD Office of Affordable Preservation (OAHP) requires that projects going through the Green Initiative, which will receive the full benefits of a green restructure (including a maximum 50% increase in the Incentive Performance Fee, and a reduction in required owner contribution to as little as 3% of green rehabilitation costs), must have on-site managers, maintenance staff and supervisors of front-line staff certified in green building principles and practices. This requirement can be met by completing a total of 16 hours of training in a variety of green building topics.

Initial Requirements

Within six months after the Mark-to-Market (M2M) Green Initiative closing, the property owner must provide evidence to OAHP that an individual in property management (on-site staff, on-site lead maintenance person, or their direct supervisor) has completed a minimum of 16 hours of training in the required topics and from an accepted provider. Each of the following topics must be covered in the training, with a cumulative total of at least 8 hours in these areas:

  • Green Building Principles and Practices Overview
  • Energy Efficiency
  • Water Efficiency
  • Integrated Pest Management
  • Indoor Air Quality
  • Green Operations and Maintenance

Other topics that may be included in the 16-hour requirement include:

  • Green Site Landscaping, Xeriscape, Composting, etc.
  • Green Building Systems
  • Alternative Energy Sources (Solar, Wind, Geothermal, Combined Heat and
    Power, Co-generation)
  • Energy Star (including indoor and outdoor lighting) and WaterSense Programs
  • Recycling and Waste Reduction
  • Resident Green Education

Ongoing Requirements

In addition, a minimum total of four hours per year of continuing education in any of the above 12 topics is required to renew the Credential for Green Property Management.

PLEASE NOTE: Certificate holders will be self-certifying each year and do not need to send in an attendance letter, certificate, event literature or certificate of their continuing education.

Delivery Methods

All training must be delivered by a provider accepted by OAHP (listed below). The initial and ongoing training can be instructor-led classes, on-line courses, training seminars, association or industry training sessions, college or university courses, or other widely-recognized training. Property owners/ managers may contract with accepted providers to deliver training to the on-site staff, on-site lead maintenance person, or their direct supervisor.

Allowable Property Expenses

OAHP will underwrite an estimated cost for this training and credential, and ongoing continuing education as an eligible property expense. Current OAHP underwriting guidelines allow for up to $6,000 in initial training and credential costs, and up to $1,000 per year thereafter for continuing education and training of new or turnover staff. Green property management training is an eligible HUD property expense only to the extent that it is utilized to train and educate an individual directly responsible for management and/or maintenance of the subject property, and directly responsible for implementation of the OAHP Green Operations & Maintenance Plan.

The following credential programs fully satisfy the green property management training requirements of HUD’s Mark-to-Market Green Initiative, and the Recovery Act/Green Retrofit Program:

  1. National Apartment Association, Credential for Green Property Management (CGPM); www.naahq.org/learn/education/credential-green-property-management
  2. National Affordable Housing Management Association (NAHMA), Credential for Green Property Management (CGPM); www.nahma.org/education/credential-for-green-property-management/
  3. U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) LEED AP (any discipline) or LEED Green Associate; www.gbci.org

The following IREM course fully satisfies the core subjects training requirement (not elective subjects) of HUD’s Mark-to-Market Green Initiative and the Recovery Act/Green Retrofit Program, and is recognized by the NAA and NAHMA credential programs above:

Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM®), Sustainable Real Estate Management SRM001; www.irem.org/sechome.cfm?sec=education

Currently Accepted Green Property Management Training 

Below providers approved by HUD OAHP

How to Apply

CGPM Application (fillable form)

All applications should be sent to Green Credential, c/o NAHMA, 400 N. Columbus St., Suite 203, Alexandria, VA 22314 or emailed to: Leslie Marie O’Donnell at lodonnell@nahma.org. 
Application fee: $180
Annual Renewal fee: $155