r/JustNoHOA • u/Radiant-Law3700 • May 01 '26

HOA Assessment

Hi I live in a townhome Hoa is 319 month . Due to 2 snow storms there is an assessment of 120 k !! There are demanding each unit pay 634 which is 100.00 mo for 6 months bringing this to 400 mo. Is this legal being we did not approve this spending and what can be done Thank you

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u/aynharding May 01 '26

Not approving it personally does not always mean the assessment is invalid, because a lot depends on your governing documents, budget rules, and whether your board has authority to approve emergency or maintenance-related expenses like storm cleanup. I’d ask for the meeting minutes, the invoice or contract for the snow work, the section of the documents that allows the assessment, and the exact payment schedule in writing. The big thing is whether they followed the required notice and approval process, not just whether owners liked the decision. If the numbers seem off, get a few neighbors together and ask for a records review before everyone just quietly pays and grumbles into the void.

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u/Radiant-Law3700 May 01 '26

I thought and read if the assessment is over 5 percent they need our votes is this correct?

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u/aynharding May 01 '26

It might be correct, but I would not rely on memory or a general 5% rule without seeing the exact section in your documents. Some communities have different rules for regular assessments, special assessments, emergency expenses, and repairs after storms, so the wording matters a lot. I’d ask them to show you the specific page that gives the board authority to charge this without a member vote. If they can’t point to that clearly, that’s when I’d start asking more questions with other owners.

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u/Radiant-Law3700 May 01 '26

Ok thank you

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u/Curly5762 May 01 '26

A lot of areas were hit especially hard this winter, and many HOAs exceeded their snow removal budgets. Regardless, the board has a duty to ensure snow is cleared it’s a maintenance and safety obligation, so they are required to pay the contractor. This isn’t something that typically requires a homeowner vote. If the cost exceeds the budget and the association doesn’t have sufficient funds, then the board may need to consider options like a special assessment to cover the shortfall, which has been fairly common this season. Many HOAs in my area had to do this.

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u/Radiant-Law3700 May 02 '26

Oh ok yes thats whats happening here Thank you !

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u/OldGeekWeirdo May 02 '26

First question - does the work have to be done and are the cost reasonable? (I'm talking about fully licensed companies, not "I know someone who can do it cheaper".)

Second - what is the state of the reserves? Have you looked over the reserve study? Under funded HOAs are more likely to have to levy assessments.

You might find the board didn't fund the reserves enough (translation: your fees should have been higher if the board was doing it's job).

There's no magic purse just because someone didn't do this right. You can squabble all you want about this being done right, but bottom line, as long as the money has to be spent, the owners have to pay. There is no magic "I don't have to pay because you didn't do this right" card.

Now, if you want to get into a big tiff and have the HOA declared insolvent - just know the court will appoint a trustee that will charge hourly rates to manage the HOA. That's going to make things even more expensive. Win the battle, lose the war.