Cohousing-L Mailing List: RE: monthly assessment calculation

[Rob Sandelin (robsan]

I am looking for the following information from existing communities:
 1) How much are your monthly assessments?
$34 per month. Covers taxes, insurance, money for capital improvements, etc.

2) Is there a range of amounts, & if so,
what criterian is used to determine each household's share?

We take the annual budget, divide it evenly by 17 (number of current 
units).  YOu can pay it monthly or pay it all at once.

3) Have your
assessments gone up or down since move-in? and

Actually assessments have gone down this year from last, due to a tax 
reduction because we challenged and won a tax appeal on our greenbelt.

4) Did you have any problem
getting approval from the Dept of Real Estate related to your chosen method
of allocating your assessments?

No, The condominium act of Washington, of which we are filed under lets 
us charge each member equally, not relative to value.  Also I would 
point out, that unless someone complains, it seems odd that any State 
dept. would monitor what assessments people pay.  So if you want to 
have everyone pay equitabily and the state requires assessment formulas 
by value, then draw the assessment docs to meet the requirements, then 
do what ever your group decides is right.  I agree with Bard, "the law 
is often an idiot."

Rob Sandelin
Sharingwood Cohousing