CMCA - Certified Manager of Community Associations Ethics and Professional Conduct Questions and Answers

Question 1

A community manager's sibling owns a commercial landscaping company.
The company submits a bid for the association's grounds maintenance contract that is competitive with other bids.
What is the manager's most ethical course of action?

Accepted Answer

Disclose the relationship in writing to the board of directors and recuse themselves from the decision-making process.

Answer

Advocate for their sibling's company since they can personally vouch for the quality of work.

Answer

Reject the bid outright to avoid any possible appearance of a conflict of interest.

Answer

Recommend their sibling's company only if it is the lowest bid received.

Question 2

Which of the following actions best demonstrates a community manager upholding their fiduciary duty to the association?

Accepted Answer

Negotiating a lower price with a vendor for a service, resulting in significant savings for the association's operating budget.

Answer

Approving a friend's architectural request that slightly deviates from the guidelines to maintain a good relationship.

Answer

Waiving a late fee for a homeowner who is also a board member, without a formal policy allowing such waivers.

Answer

Sharing confidential details from an executive session with a homeowner who is not on the board.

Question 3

During a heated conversation, a homeowner demands the personal cell phone number of the board president to complain about a recent violation notice. The manager has this information readily available. What is the most appropriate response from the manager?

Accepted Answer

Refuse to provide the number and explain that all official communication should be directed through the management office or official association channels.

Answer

Provide the board president's number to de-escalate the situation with the homeowner.

Answer

Suggest the homeowner look up the number in the community directory.

Answer

Tell the homeowner they will text the board president and ask them to call the homeowner back immediately.

Question 4

After a major and successful capital improvement project, the primary contractor sends the community manager a gift basket containing a $200 gift card. According to the CMCA Standards of Professional Conduct, what should the manager do?

Accepted Answer

Politely decline the gift, explaining that their professional ethics prohibit accepting gratuities that could influence decisions.

Answer

Accept the gift as a well-deserved bonus for managing the project effectively.

Answer

Accept the gift but disclose it to the board president to ensure transparency.

Answer

Use the gift card to purchase supplies for the community clubhouse.

Question 5

A manager has a strong personal friendship with a homeowner in the community they manage. To maintain professional conduct and avoid ethical issues, the manager should:

Accepted Answer

Ensure all association rules and policies are applied to their friend in the exact same manner as they are to all other residents.

Answer

Use their discretion to grant the friend small favors, such as extending deadlines for fee payments.

Answer

Resign from managing the property to avoid any potential for a conflict of interest.

Answer

Advise the board to appoint the friend to an open committee position.

Question 6

Which of the following actions by a community manager would constitute an unauthorized practice of law?

Accepted Answer

Forwarding a draft of a proposed rule change to the association's attorney for review and comment.

Answer

Drafting a formal letter to a homeowner detailing their violation of a specific covenant as outlined in the governing documents.

Answer

Advising the board of directors on the legal interpretation of a recently passed state statute affecting community associations.

Answer

Explaining the association's established collections process, as defined in a board-approved policy, to a new board member.