common area maintenance

common area maintenance (CAM)

(“CAM”is pronounced as a word) Costs required for a tenant's pro rata share of the upkeep of common areas and amenities such as the parking lot,external lighting, trash removal, and street cleaning.When obtaining quotes for retail space or office space, one should always ask about tenant CAM expenses, because a lower per-square-foot rental rate at one location may be offset by high CAM expenses.