Figuring out HOA dues for 1 bedroom vs 2 bedroom

Started by JasonP7 • 12 replies • 84 views

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JasonP7 (California)
Posts: 26

Posted:

Our HOA dues are currently $300 for one bedroom units and $350 for two bedroom. This was just randomly decided over a decade ago. Is there any equation for figuring out how much more a two bedroom unit should be paying? We are likely raising our dues to $500 and they want to make one bedroom units $450 but not sure if that seems fair? Just kind of random. Thanks in advance.

ElleN (Idaho)
Posts: 1,334

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By JasonP7 on 03/20/2026 11:54 AM
Our HOA dues are currently $300 for one bedroom units and $350 for two bedroom. This was just randomly decided over a decade ago. Is there any equation for figuring out how much more a two bedroom unit should be paying? We are likely raising our dues to $500 and they want to make one bedroom units $450 but not sure if that seems fair? Just kind of random. Thanks in advance.

Can you please quote exactly what your association's bylaws and declaration say about how much each unit must pay?

JasonP7 (California)
Posts: 26

Posted:

Our bylaws haven't been updated in 20 years and I don't think it is mentioned in them.

ElleN (Idaho)
Posts: 1,334

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By JasonP7 on 03/20/2026 2:10 PM
Our bylaws haven't been updated in 20 years and I don't think it is mentioned in them.

Check the Declaration and the Bylaws. I realize your condo dates to the 1980s. Still, it would be unusual for the bylaws and the declaration to be silent on this subject.

NameW1 (Texas)
Posts: 32

Posted:

by square feet sounds a lot more fair to me

JasonP7 (California)
Posts: 26

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By ElleN on 03/20/2026 2:27 PM

Posted By JasonP7 on 03/20/2026 2:10 PM
Our bylaws haven't been updated in 20 years and I don't think it is mentioned in them.

Check the Declaration and the Bylaws. I realize your condo dates to the 1980s. Still, it would be unusual for the bylaws and the declaration to be silent on this subject.

I just went through our Bylaws and CC&Rs and do not see this addressed anywhere. They are both over 20 years old.

ElleN (Idaho)
Posts: 1,334

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By JasonP7 on 03/20/2026 4:46 PM

Posted By ElleN on 03/20/2026 2:27 PM

Posted By JasonP7 on 03/20/2026 2:10 PM
Our bylaws haven't been updated in 20 years and I don't think it is mentioned in them.

Check the Declaration and the Bylaws. I realize your condo dates to the 1980s. Still, it would be unusual for the bylaws and the declaration to be silent on this subject.

I just went through our Bylaws and CC&Rs and do not see this addressed anywhere. They are both over 20 years old.

Can you quote all paragraphs that use any of these words?

assess
assessment
assessed

JasonP7 (California)
Posts: 26

Posted:

I actually looked up the sq footage of each unit and it seems what people are paying is all over the place. Right now one bedrooms pay $300 monthly HOA dues and two bedrooms $350, but everyone's sq footage is different (see below).

Based on the info below, I think it is fair, for simplicity, to estimate one bedrooms at 800 sq feet and two bedrooms at 1,000 sq feet. Right now, the AVERAGE each unit is paying is 36 cents per unit. If we take that average, a one bedroom should pay $288 and two bedrooms should pay $360.

I live in a one bedroom unit. Is this worth taking issue with?

Thank you.

Unit 1 (two bedroom, $350) - ?
Unit 2 (one bedroom, $300) – 793 sq feet (approx 38 cents cents per sq foot)
Unit 3 (two bedroom, $350) – 962 sq feet (approx 36 cents per sq foot)
Unit 4 (two bedroom, $350) – 1,011 sq feet (approx 35 cents per sq foot)
Unit 5 (two bedroom, $350) - 1,011 sq feet (approx 35 cents per sq foot)
Unit 6 (one bedroom, $300) - 758 sq feet (approx 40 cents per sq foot)
Unit 7 (two bedroom, $350) – 1,021 sq feet (approx 34 cents per sq foot)
Unit 8 (two bedroom, $350) – 980 sq feet (approx 36 cents per sq foot)
Unit 9 (one bedroom, $300) - ?
Unit 10 (one bedroom, $300) - ?

JasonP7 (California)
Posts: 26

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By ElleN on 03/20/2026 5:09 PM

Posted By JasonP7 on 03/20/2026 4:46 PM

Posted By ElleN on 03/20/2026 2:27 PM

Posted By JasonP7 on 03/20/2026 2:10 PM
Our bylaws haven't been updated in 20 years and I don't think it is mentioned in them.

Check the Declaration and the Bylaws. I realize your condo dates to the 1980s. Still, it would be unusual for the bylaws and the declaration to be silent on this subject.

I just went through our Bylaws and CC&Rs and do not see this addressed anywhere. They are both over 20 years old.

Can you quote all paragraphs that use any of these words?

assess
assessment
assessed

There a hundreds of pages with those words. Most refer to assessing a fine against an owner. I did find this :

1.4
Assessment Percentage Interest. "Assessment Percentage Interest" means that percentage interest of the total Homeowner's Association Assessment which shall be assessed to a Unit. In the event that the difference between the benefits derived by any Unit is no more than ten percent (10%) greater than any other Unit, the Association shall prorate the Assessments on an equal per Unit basis. In the event that the benefits derived by any Unit is greater than twenty per cent (20%) more than any other Unit, then the Association shall prorate on a variable assessment basis. In the event that the benefits derived by any Unit is more than ten per cent (10%) but less than twenty per cent (20%), the Association may choose to prorate either on an equal or a variable basis. In the event that the Association uses the variable assessment method, those items which provide variable benefits, such as insurance premiums, roof area reserves and exterior wall reserves, shall be prorated on the variable basis of each Unit's percentage of the total Unit square footage, and those items which are non-variable, such as a security system, or a swimming pool, shall be prorated on an equal per Unit basis.

ElleN (Idaho)
Posts: 1,334

Posted:

I am processing the paragraph you quoted in my thoughts. The paragraph is important because it gives the board the authority to assign variable assessment rates, based on the "benefits" a unit receives.

Tell me about the benefits the HOA provides each unit. For example, is the HOA responsible for:

Roofs
Roads/parking lot
Water bill for all units
Other utilities that service all units

Keep in mind there is no perfect here. Your board should aim for "fair and reasonable" when the board defines (with help from the Declaration) the "benefits" a unit receives from the HOA.

DeanJ
Posts: 1,786

Posted:

Normally the declaration for a condo provides for assessments to be charged on a sq ft basis and it is common to have many different assessment amounts be charged to the various units.

Additionally, special characteristics (patio or deck sizes, parking spaces, or other limited common area variables) can go into the calculations.

JasonP7 (California)
Posts: 26

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By DeanJ on 03/20/2026 7:46 PM
Normally the declaration for a condo provides for assessments to be charged on a sq ft basis and it is common to have many different assessment amounts be charged to the various units.

Additionally, special characteristics (patio or deck sizes, parking spaces, or other limited common area variables) can go into the calculations.

Thank you. Would these normally be in the bylaws or CC&Rs?

DeanJ
Posts: 1,786

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By JasonP7 on 03/20/2026 8:08 PM

Thank you. Would these normally be in the bylaws or CC&Rs?

CC&Rs.

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