The ways in which assessments are allocated to an association’s members will be dictated by the governing documents that were initially created by the association’s “Declarant.” An association’s declaration (“CC&Rs”) will typically allocate assessments in any of the following methods:
- Uniform Assessments. (*Most Common) The association’s members pay the same amount of assessments regardless of the dimensions of their respective “separate interests” (their respective units or lots).
- Pro Rata Assessments. Assessments are allocated to each separate interest on a percentage basis, often by the square footage of each separate interest. Allocation methods utilizing such disproportionate payment schedules have been upheld by California Courts as reasonable and not in violation public policy. (Cebular v. Cooper Arms (2006) 142 Cal.App.4th 106, 121.)
- Variable or “Blended” Assessments. This allocation method purports to provide a structure where larger separate interests pay more for association services that benefit them to a greater extent than smaller separate interests. Assessments are therefore allocated using a uniform rate for certain budgetary items and a percentage rate for other budgetary items.
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