SusanO3 (California)
Posts: 163
Posts: 163
Posted:
Am I right thinking that owners can request a full copy of the Reserve Study, in California. TIA Sue
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Owners can see Full Reserve Study if they ask
Started by SusanO3 • 12 replies • 214 views
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ElleN (Idaho)
Posts: 1,333
Posts: 1,333
Posted:
Quote:
Posted By SusanO3 on 04/02/2025 3:49 PM
Am I right thinking that owners can request a full copy of the Reserve Study, in California. TIA Sue
Am I right thinking that owners can request a full copy of the Reserve Study, in California. TIA Sue
SusanO3 (California)
Posts: 163
Posts: 163
Posted:
Thanks Ellen. I appreciate all the responses you give me. Sue
DavidF17 (Florida)
Posts: 11
Posts: 11
Posted:
Even if not required by law, why would a Board NOT want to share the reserve study with the community? Sharing the study can help the interested homeowners understand a large part of the HOA budget and planning.
I recognize most homeowners don't care enough to be described as aparthetic, but most HOA operations should be fully in the open to the membership.
I recognize most homeowners don't care enough to be described as aparthetic, but most HOA operations should be fully in the open to the membership.
KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550
Posts: 14,550
Posted:
Oh, yes, share it! Put the entire study on your website if you have one. And send the "Summary" portion by eblast to all owners. Most reserve specialists will even visit your HOA for Q&A TH with owners at no extra costs.
If not on your website, eblast entire study to all owners as an attachment.
With DavidF, this helps interested owners understand their dues. Also with him, do other Board members NOT want to share it? Why not?
If not on your website, eblast entire study to all owners as an attachment.
With DavidF, this helps interested owners understand their dues. Also with him, do other Board members NOT want to share it? Why not?
DeanJ
Posts: 1,786
Posts: 1,786
Posted:
Quote:
Posted By SusanO3 on 04/02/2025 3:49 PM
Am I right thinking that owners can request a full copy of the Reserve Study, in California. TIA Sue
Am I right thinking that owners can request a full copy of the Reserve Study, in California. TIA Sue
In CA, I am a bit surprised the reserve study isn’t available to you in electronic format on a website.
KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550
Posts: 14,550
Posted:
Susan is a Board member. Dean. It might be the case that other direextos don't want to release the reserve study to owners ? I dunno.
DeanJ
Posts: 1,786
Posts: 1,786
Posted:
Quote:
Posted By KerryL1 on 04/03/2025 9:02 AM
Susan is a Board member. Dean. It might be the case that other direextos don't want to release the reserve study to owners ? I dunno.
Susan is a Board member. Dean. It might be the case that other direextos don't want to release the reserve study to owners ? I dunno.
The only reason I can think of to keep it secret is the board is grossly under funding reserves and they don’t want it known.
JamesB37 (California)
Posts: 351
Posts: 351
Posted:
Quote:
Posted By DavidF17 on 04/02/2025 5:08 PM
Even if not required by law, why would a Board NOT want to share the reserve study with the community? Sharing the study can help the interested homeowners understand a large part of the HOA budget and planning.
I recognize most homeowners don't care enough to be described as apathetic, but most HOA operations should be fully in the open to the membership.
Even if not required by law, why would a Board NOT want to share the reserve study with the community? Sharing the study can help the interested homeowners understand a large part of the HOA budget and planning.
I recognize most homeowners don't care enough to be described as apathetic, but most HOA operations should be fully in the open to the membership.
In California an HOA under the Davis Stirling Act is required to make annual disclosures:
(https://www.davis-stirling.com/HOME/A/Annual-Budget-Policy-Disclosures)
A 'summary' of the reserve study is one of the required documents. When you have an HOA with 1,000 plus homes and you're mailing out copies of all these documents to each homeowner, at about $.15 per page, not counting additional postage, costs can really add up. And, as others mentioned - who actually looks at it?
Our reserve study summary is 76 pages, the draft of our the most recent study is 148 pages, almost double. It would probably cost us over $1,000 more to mail out the full study, but it is readily available upon request or it can be downloaded from the password protected portion of our website.
DavidF17 (Florida)
Posts: 11
Posts: 11
Posted:
That's even more reason to share the reserve study. Opinions by outside experts can help homeowners understand why their assessments need to increase.
KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550
Posts: 14,550
Posted:
To James: Our 200+ condo twin high rise's "full onsite visit 2025 reserve study is 203 pages with photos of almost very reserves component. We have 190 reserve components b/c high. rises are vey complex.
Its summary, however is only 4-1/2 pages long and contains what's required by Calif statute. Our previous reserve firms' studies' summaries were about the same length.
We had the previous reserves companies and finally settled on our current one, which we've had for about 9 years.
It's way beyond my imagination how your study's summary is 76 pages long in what perhaps is a non-complex HOA. At Davis-stirling.com, you can find what is required in the summary for the Annual Budget/Policy letter and it just can't possibly be 76 pages.
Meanwhile, can't you send the study as an attachment in an elblast to owners?
Its summary, however is only 4-1/2 pages long and contains what's required by Calif statute. Our previous reserve firms' studies' summaries were about the same length.
We had the previous reserves companies and finally settled on our current one, which we've had for about 9 years.
It's way beyond my imagination how your study's summary is 76 pages long in what perhaps is a non-complex HOA. At Davis-stirling.com, you can find what is required in the summary for the Annual Budget/Policy letter and it just can't possibly be 76 pages.
Meanwhile, can't you send the study as an attachment in an elblast to owners?
MarshallT (New York)
Posts: 414
Posts: 414
Posted:
Yes! great to hear people care enough to ask.
JamesV3 (New Hampshire)
Posts: 50
Posts: 50
Posted:
Ours Is published on the owner portal online For unit owners to see.
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