Cohousing-L Mailing List: FW: [C-L]_ Re: Limited Common Elements and HOA Dues

[Ann Zabaldo (zabaldo]

Hi Fred!  Resending this!  Thank you!  AZ

------ Forwarded Message
From: Ann Zabaldo <zabaldo [at] earthlink.net>
Date: Sun, 16 Oct 2005 11:17:43 -0400
To: Cohousing-L <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org>
Subject: Re: [C-L]_ Re: Limited Common Elements and HOA Dues

NOTE TO ALL -- YOU WILL HAVE TO FIND DIANE'S EMAIL IN THE ARCHIVES RE: THIS
THREAD TO READ HER RESPONSE TO ME.  I COULDN'T INCLUDE IT BECAUSE IT MADE
THE EMAIL TOO LONG AND IT BOUNCED!!  SORRY!

Hi Diane!

Thanks for sending this info.  I read it through quite carefully.  You did a
quite a job crafting this!   A couple of questions:

Is the "proportionate share" by square footage or some other calculation
such as number of people in a unit or...?

Is your plan for allocating costs for maintenance, repair and replacement
based on each unit owner being assessed enough in their HOA dues to cover
these costs?  Or do you anticipate that the community as a whole will
subsidize the maintenance, repair and replacement costs?

What I'm interested in finding out is how the costs for repair, maintenance
and replacement is allocated among unit owners.

Here at TVC, we split common costs according to a 50/50 formula of 50% s/f
and 50% equal shares.  Not a problem when it comes to common elements and
limited common elements in which the community as a whole receives value in
return.  Right now, the unit owners w/ rear balconies pay some or most of
the cost of maintenance, repair and replacement in their HOA dues but the
community as a whole makes up the difference.

I'm trying to understand is how other communities allocate expenses when the
Limited Common Element or Exclusive Use Area benefits only the unit owner as
I think this could help us in our deliberations. The rear balconies and
decks add value to the owner's house which when sold increases the value and
sale-ability of the home.  So, for instance, I pay a portion of the
maintenance on 37 or so household's  balconies and decks (I think there are
40+ or so decks and balconies because some households have two of these
elements) but no value is returned to the community when the unit is sold.
This seems inconsistent to me.  [Actually, it seems very strange
thinking...:-) ]   Note:   there are four or five unit owners w/out ANY
exclusive use area.

Even stranger...the unit owners w/ on-ground cement patio slabs actually own
the "patio" and are responsible for repair, maintenance and replacement of
the patio altho' as far as I can tell they don't own the ground its on.  So
even tho' the "patio" is exterior to the unit, is on ground owned by the
community and is attached to the unit (like a balcony) they have to pay the
full cost of maintenance and replacement.  This seems very inconsistent to
me altho' I'm sure there must be some condo principle out there somewhere
that explains this.

Bottom line:  what I'm trying to do is understand the principles on how
costs are allocated for exclusive use of Limited Common Elements and develop
a "consistent" way in which we allocate these expenses and receive value for
them.  

Any light you can shed on this as to how you do it (or will do it or THINK
you will do it ) at JP greatly appreciated.

Thanks to everyone who has responded thus far via this list and to all those
who called.  Your info has been very helpful!

Many thanks!


Ann Zabaldo
Takoma Village
Washington, DC

³The Road to Enlightenment is Long and Difficult...
So Bring Cookies and a Magazine.²

Wk  202 546 4654
FAX 202 291 8594




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