FAQ

FAQ for Using the NAACommunity Forum & Online Resource Center

General Questions About Web Terminology
What is the NAA Community Site & Online Resource Center?
What is a Community?
What is a Network?
What is a Forum?
What is a Discussion Thread?
What is a Blog?
What is an RSS feed?

Using the NAA Community Site & Online Resource Center
What are the points I see on the Community Site homepage next to “Most Active Members”?
I'm trying to post to a Discussion Forum but can't post to the Forum. How do I fix this?
How do I change the frequency at which I receive e-mail notifications from this Web site?
How can I control what information about me is displayed in my profile?
How can I share an item from the Resource Center or bookmark an item for future reference?
How can I rate or comment on a blog post or resource item?
When posting a new blog entry, what is the difference between the available options for who can view the post?
How do I delete a blog entry posted by me?

Logging into the Site
How do I log into the NAA Community Site & Online Resource Center?
How can I change my password to access the site?
Having trouble logging in?

More Questions?
Have a question not included in the FAQ?



General Questions About Web Terminology

What is the NAA Community Site & Online Resource Center?

-It is an online network for professionals in the apartment industry, just like you. NAA members in all industry segments can use the site to build relationships and network with others who share their interests, specialties or questions about multifamily housing. You can also do research and find solutions to your day to day issues in the Online Resource Center.

What is a Community?

-A Community is a group of people organized around a common subject or theme which is defined by the community name and description. Communities are categorized by community types which includes Affiliate Communities and Member Created Communities.

What is a Network?

-Networks link people to each other based on matching criteria. Networks are automatically built based on information you’ve specified in your profile, such as address, job history and education. A network is meant to be a quick way to find people that have something in common with you that you may want to connect with. It lets you know how many people share and lets you find these people.

What is a Forum?

Forums can also be referred to as a discussion list. Forums are all of the discussion threads around a community, and function in a similar fashion to list servs.

A blog (a contraction of the term “web log”) is a Web site that allows users to reflect, share opinions and discuss various topics in the form of an online journal while readers may post comments. It is a more relaxed version of an opinion article that would appear in print media, and different from a forum, which is more of an online conversation than article.

What is an RSS feed?

An RSS feed is a family of Web feed formats used to publish frequently updated works—such as blog entries, news headlines, forum discussions, audio and video—in a standardized format. They benefit readers who want to subscribe to timely updates from favored Web sites or to compile feeds from many sites into one place. Instead of visiting multiple Web pages to check for new content, a Web user can look at summaries and choose which sites to visit for the full versions.

Using the NAA Community Site & Online Resource Center

What are the points I see on the Community Site homepage next to “Most Active Members”?

Points are a way of measuring online engagement for all members. It’s also a way for NAA to recognize and our most active members. The homepage reflects the most active members for the past week, not since the Web site’s inception.

Point totals are tabulated automatically with every action you take on the site. Point values for different activities range from one point to 10 points. Activities that engage other members, such as writing a blog, sending a message or responding to a Forum discussion have a higher point value than activities such as viewing a blog, logging into the site or viewing a document in the Resource Center, which do not engage others.

I'm trying to post to a Discussion Forum but can't post to the Forum. How do I fix this?
To post to a Discussion Forum, you must first join the Forum's Community. To do this, find the Community under the Directory Tab, click the blue name of the Community, and then click the link that says, "Join Community." You will be asked to select your subscription choice (the frequency at which you receive E-mail notifications). Once you've done this, you are free to post to the Discussion Forum.

How do I change the frequency at which I receive e-mail notifications from this Web site?

You can control notifications regarding Contact Requests, Community Invitations, Regular Messages and Comments by clicking My Profile. Then, click My Preferences. From there you can change the e-mail address notifications are sent to, which notifications are e-mailed to you and whether or not members can contact you.

For e-mails from communities and their respective forums, you can select your e-mail preferences when you join each community. You can choose to receive e-mail notifications daily, in real time, or you can opt out of receiving e-mail notifications. If at any point after joining a community you want to change your e-mail notification settings, roll your mouse over the Forums tab at the top and click the My Subscriptions option from the drop down menu that will appear. From there you can change your settings.

How can I control what information about me is displayed in my profile?

Click My Profile and then click My Privacy. From there you will have the option to select who can see various components to your profile including your photo, address, e-mail address, Web site and phone number. You can choose between the following privacy options: My Contacts, Members Only, Public and Nobody.

*Please note that out of respect for our members’ privacy, NAA has hidden your E-mail address, mailing address and phone number, but you can opt to share this at your own discretion.

How can I share an item from the Resource Center or bookmark an item for future reference?

When you’ve found an item you want to share, click the title of the document. The title is a blue hyperlink. This will then be the only document appearing on your screen, and will be enclosed in a light blue box. Click the Share option on the right side of the box. A pop up will then appear prompting you to enter the e-mail address of the person you want to share the document with.

If you want to bookmark the document for your own future reference, click either the heart on the right side of the document, or the words, “Add to Favorites.” The same document will then be included in the “My Favorites” section under Resources.


How can I rate or comment on a blog post or resource item?

Blogs and resource items can be rated by clicking on the stars next to the entry. You can click as few or as many stars as you want to convey your rating. Five stars denote the best possible rating, while zero stars indicate to rating at all. To comment on a blog post, scroll to the bottom of the blog entry, click “Add a Comment,” type it in the pop up box and click save. To comment on a resource item, be sure you have clicked the blue headline, so that you only see one resource item on the page. Please note that one item may have multiple files attached to it. Click “Add comments and type your comment in the pop up box and click save.

When posting a new blog entry, what is the difference between the available options for who can view the post?

There are four options available to you, but due to NAA’s privacy settings, they are mostly inapplicable.

Public: Anyone can view this blog. They do not need to be logged on to see this.

Authenticated: In order to view your blog, a site user must be logged into the site. .

NAAHQ Members: Due to NAA’s privacy settings, this means the same thing as Authenticated.

My Contacts: Only people who are in your My Contact list will be able to view your blog posting.

How do I delete a blog entry posted by me?

View your blog entry, and on the right side of the entry you’ll see a box with your profile photo and links to click for rating or commenting on the post. Below those links, you will also see a red “X” next to the words “Delete Blog.” You can click either the words or the “X” to delete the blog post.

Logging into the Site

How do I log into the NAA Community Site & Onine Resource Center?

Login using your NAA Web ID and password. Your Web ID is a random number assigned to you within the NAA Database when you become a member. Your default password is your initials and ZIP code. If you don't know your NAA Web ID or password, please visit the NAA Member Center Login Help at http://www.naahq.org/Pages/LoginHelp.aspx.  

How can I change my password to access the site?

Visit the NAA homepage at www.naahq.org and click “My Account” in the top right corner. From there you will have options to reset your password and change your user name.

Having trouble logging in?

Contact Lakia Bailey, Database Specialist, at 703/518-6141, ext. 693 or lakia@naahq.org.