The Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) and the IREM Foundation, aided by financial support from Yardi Systems and the Realtors Commercial Alliance (RCA) of the National Association of Realtors, are funding professional development grants for 17 returning U.S. veterans interested in pursuing careers in real estate management.
The grants will cover tuition for a one-week IREM course on "Successful Site Management (RES201)," to be presented in Chicago from Feb. 2-6th, as well as transportation to and from Chicago, lodging for up to six nights sponsored by Swissotel Chicago, and one year of IREM membership dues.
The course addresses all aspects of managing residential properties - including affordable and student housing - and provides participants with the skills they need to get jobs as residential site managers, leasing agents, and assistant property managers.

"WIN-WIN" SCENARIO FOR RECIPIENTS AND THE INDUSTRY
In a joint statement announcing the grant program, IREM President Pamela W. Monroe, CPM®, and IREM Foundation President Robert Click, CPM®, said: "The U.S. media is spotlighting the increasingly devastating picture of surging unemployment and low wages for returning veterans. In contrast, recipients of our grants will be on track to become real estate management professionals with ample and rewarding career opportunities, attractive wages and bright futures. Moreover, given the already critical shortfall of quality real estate managers ready to replace retiring practitioners, reaching out to veterans as they seek to re-enter the workplace is one of many "win-win" initiatives needed to address our industry's workforce development challenges."
PARTNERSHIP WITH PROFESSIONAL HOUSING MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION
IREM and the Professional Housing Management Association (PHMA) established an informal partnership in which PHMA helped to publicize and identify candidates for the grants. The IREM Foundation, through its Grants and Scholarship Committee, then selected grantees. Upon completion of the one week course, grant recipients will be referred to the IREM chapter in their area to assist them with job searches.
COURSE CAN LEAD TO ARM® CERTIFICATION AND HOUSING BENEFITS
Grant recipients who complete the RES201 course and pass a half-day exam at the conclusion of it will have fulfilled the education and examination requirements for IREM's Accredited Residential Manager® (ARM®) certification, the industry's most respected credential for specialists in residential property management. And if the jobs for which they will become eligible call for managers to live on site, housing can be made available to them at a reduced rate, and/or tax free.
COURSE CONTENT SPECIFICS
The topics the grant recipients will learn about during their week-long education and training experience cover:
-----Human resource and relationship management
-----Legal issues and risk management strategies
-----Professional ethics
-----On-site maintenance management
-----Property financial management
-----Marketing and leasing
ABOUT THE PUBLIC HOUSING MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION
The mission of the Professional Housing Management Association (PHMA) is to contribute towards better quality housing for our military members and their families by continuously raising the level of proficiency and professionalism within the military services' housing profession through improved communications and networking; education and training; certification; and professional recognition. To learn more, visit the association's Web site at www.phma.com.
ABOUT THE INSTITUTE OF REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT FOUNDATION
The Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM®) Foundation, established in 1977, is a nonprofit 501(c) (3) public foundation. The IREM Foundation is committed to attracting, developing, and retaining individuals for careers in real estate management. This mission is supported by the generosity of individual IREM members and chapters, corporate sponsors, and private contributors.