Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re:Homeowners' Association Dues

[Joani Blank (jeblank]

>how to allocate the HOA dues that we will need
>to start collecting once we move in. Various schemes suggest themselves: 
>divided equally by the number of units, by the square footage of each
>unit, by the number of people in each household, and various combinations
>of the above.
>
Denise, 

I asked about that when I moved into Doyle Street. I even thought maybe the
allocation could take "ability to pay" into consideration as well as the
other factors you mentioned. However I was informed that by law--regulation
of the Department of Real Estate perhaps? --it has to be allocated by
square foot, at least here in California. There are obviously ways around
this, I think. You can have a small or medium sized regular monthly
assessment that is calcuated by square foot, and then have frequent
"special" assessments that you allocate any way you want, perhaps by the
color of one's house, or the kind of music s/he likes (smile).  I don't
know how kosher this is, or even If I was given correct information.  but
my guess is that if you did special assessments with some regularity it
would be obvious that you were trying to an end run around a regulation and
 you might get in trouble. 

I, for one, like your new name. Was it contentious? Deciding on a name, I
mean. The Berkeley group is struggling with that one right now. 

Joani 
Doyle St. and Old Oakland,  Californaiyeh