Certified Housing Manager Assistant Exam
Certified Housing Manager Assistant (CHMA)
More study resources
Cheat sheet
Keep the key ideas within reach.
ExploreKey terms
Get comfortable with the vocabulary.
ExploreStudy plan
Give each week a clear focus.
ExploreCommon mistakes
Understand the traps and how to avoid them.
ExploreCase studies
Put your knowledge to work in context.
ExploreExam-day guide
Prepare for the day ahead.
ExploreAbout this exam
The Certified Housing Manager Assistant (CHMA) is a credential name associated with the National Center for Housing Management (NCHM), the organization whose site hosts the certification pages referenced here. Important caveat for anyone studying: at the time this page was prepared, the NCHM URL that would describe the CHMA credential returned a "404 Not Found" error, and the retrieved page contained no exam blueprint, fee schedule, item count, time limit, passing score, or renewal terms. What the retrieved site does show is NCHM's overall structure: four training tracks - HUD Compliance, Tax Credits, Property Management, and On-Demand Training and Employment Testing - each containing named specialist certifications such as Certified Occupancy Specialist (COS), Tax Credit Specialist (TCS), Certified Manager of Housing (CMH), Fair Housing Specialist (FHS), and NSPIRE Compliance. A candidate preparing for an assistant-level housing management role should therefore expect subject matter drawn from those tracks: HUD occupancy and eligibility rules, low-income housing tax credit compliance, day-to-day property management, and the on-demand training and employment testing NCHM offers. Preparation realistically means building familiarity with occupancy paperwork, income and rent calculations, tenant file review, and fair housing basics. Because no official CHMA specification could be confirmed, treat any numeric claim about this exam - length, cost, pass mark - as unverified until NCHM publishes it.
What you'll study
About Certified Housing Manager Assistant Exam preparation
Is the CHMA exam page currently available on NCHM's website?
No. The URL for the Certified Housing Manager Assistant page returned a 404 Not Found error when retrieved, and the site displayed only a "No Results Found" message. Candidates should search the NCHM site navigation directly, or contact NCHM at [email protected] or 800-368-5625, before assuming the credential is open for registration.
What topics should I study if no official CHMA blueprint exists?
Use NCHM's published training tracks as your map: HUD Compliance, Tax Credits, Property Management, and On-Demand Training and Employment Testing. Within those, the named certifications - COS, TCS, CMH, FHS, NSPIRE Compliance - indicate the underlying subject matter. Build competence in occupancy, eligibility, tax credit rules, and property operations rather than chasing a topic list that cannot currently be verified.
How many questions are on the exam and how long do I get?
Unknown. The retrieved source states no item count, no time limit, and no passing score for the CHMA. Any figure you see elsewhere - including in study guides or forum posts - should be treated as unconfirmed. Verify directly with NCHM before you plan a test-day schedule around a specific number.
What does the exam cost and what is the retake policy?
The source provides no fee, no retake policy, and no certification validity period for the CHMA. NCHM does publish a cancellation policy, return policy, and program terms and conditions on its site, which would govern purchases and scheduling. Read those documents and confirm pricing with NCHM rather than relying on secondhand numbers.
How difficult is the CHMA compared with COS or TCS?
There is no verifiable difficulty data, because no CHMA specification is published in the source. What can be said is that NCHM's specialist credentials such as COS and TCS sit inside defined compliance tracks with their own pages and prep products, while the assistant-level page is missing. Assume foundational rather than advanced depth until NCHM clarifies.
In what order should I work through the material?
Start with HUD Compliance, since occupancy and eligibility concepts underpin almost everything else in assisted housing. Then move to Tax Credits, where income limits and recertification rules build on the same calculation skills. Property Management comes next for operations, leasing, and maintenance context. Use On-Demand Training and Employment Testing to fill gaps and gauge readiness.
What mistakes cause candidates to fail housing compliance exams?
The recurring failure modes in this field are arithmetic and documentation: miscalculating adjusted income, mishandling allowances, missing recertification deadlines, and misunderstanding which assets count. Fair housing scenarios also trip people who answer from instinct rather than rule. Practice full tenant-file walkthroughs and check every calculation twice before test day.
Is there a news item about HOTMA that affects what I should study?
Yes. NCHM's most recent post is titled "HOTMA Implementation for HUD Multifamily Housing Delayed to 2028." The retrieved text does not state an effective date or describe the delay's scope. Treat HOTMA as a moving target: confirm the current implementation status with NCHM or HUD before relying on any rule summary in your study materials.
How do I confirm whether the CHMA still exists as an active credential?
Contact NCHM directly using the phone number and email published on its site, or check the National Registry and certification renewal pages linked in the site navigation. Those pages would show whether a credential is actively maintained. Do not assume a credential is current simply because a study resource or job posting mentions it.