History of CHPA

The History of CHPA

Corporate Housing Providers Association

The Voice of the Corporate Housing Industry

The Beginning
The National Interim Housing Network (NIHN) was the first national organization established to bring temporary/interim housing providers together for the primary purpose of marketing the industry. Led by Ken Hixon and Bob Greenwald, both from the Dallas, TX area, the organization attempted to unify marketing for all member companies to expand business opportunities for all. Inherently, NIHN was challenged with marketing an industry of small business owners managing bottom line realities and needing an immediate and specific return on their marketing investment. With some consolidation of the industry and some providers expanding faster than others, the premise of the organization was difficult to achieve. The organization disbanded after a few years; however, the foundation of camaraderie and unity of the industry survives even today.

The New Beginning
The Association of Temporary Housing Providers (ATHP) was established in 1996 as a trade association. The purposes of the Association were to provide education to providers, to strengthen the industry’s professionalism for the betterment of the industry, and to provide a venue in which members could take off their competitive hats and work together to gain recognition for the overall industry. The founding board consisted of a wide range of providers from the industry’s largest at that time to a host of smaller and mid-range providers. As NIHN’s membership dwindled, the organization merged with ATHP and the name changed to The Association of Interim Housing Providers (AIHP). Changing the Association’s name to incorporate ‘interim’ recognized the contributions and history of NIHN. In 2002, AIHP again changed its name to the current international trade association known as the Corporate Housing Providers Association (CHPA) to more accurately reflect the current industry terminology.

CHPA Today
CHPA continually strives to uphold the highest standards in business and professionalism, provide valuable insight, knowledge and resources to the industry, and increase visibility among related industries. The Association continues to mature in both its services to members and its dedication to the professionalism and ethics of the industry. More than 220 corporate housing companies worldwide currently belong to CHPA. In addition, there are more than 50 CHPA member companies worldwide that offer goods or services to the industry as invaluable partners to the industry’s success. Over the last three years, membership has grown by 25% new members annually on average. The high annual retention rate reflects the value and need for the Association. Today, the Association serves its members and the industry through:

a professional certification program, Certified Corporate Housing Professional (CCHP)
an annual conference and awards program, recognizing excellence in the industry
limitless networking events throughout North America
a Code of Ethics
an annual industry survey
a monthly, online data collection tool, CHIP
newsletters and communications including an online news service
Webinars and continuing education opportunities

Data from the Corporate Housing 2009 Industry Report shows that the corporate housing industry was a $2.77 billion dollar industry in the US in 2008 - down 5.8% from $2.95 billion in 2007, however still higher than $2.46 billion in 2006.

In order to provide our member with more timely data, CHPA commissioned a Corporate Housing Industry 2009 Mid-Year Report. The details of the report are as follows:

What is the outlook for your MSA in 2009?

Across North America, providers report reduced demand and increased
competition.
In some markets, distressed condominium units are becoming a competitive issue.
Competition is pushing rate down. Customers are shopping more aggressively and appear to be opting for less expensive alternatives.
In some cases, customers are also looking for shorter stays.
Many providers have scaled back inventory, although some report excess
inventory, at least in the short term.
Some providers have pulled out of markets and some report that a competitor has closed.
Some corporate housing providers have responded by controlling costs more
tightly and, in some cases, cutting back staff.

What is the outlook for your MSA in 2010?

Most providers expect the market to turn in 2010 and anticipate at least slow
improvement through the year.
Some providers predict a reduction in competition from distressed residential
units as the residential market turns.
Several providers anticipate benefit from government stimulus programs bringing
demand into the marketplace.
The outlook for rate improvement remains cautious through 2010, but providers
are optimistic overall.

CHPA’s vision is for corporate housing to be a universally recognized and utilized segment of the lodging industry, with its members as the most successful and profitable companies in the industry. Along with networking, education, certification, and information sharing, CHPA members grow their business and expand their reach through an international network of partners. If you are not already a member of the only trade association dedicated exclusively to the corporate housing industry, we invite you to join CHPA today.