August 31, 2026 | Mark Luis Foster
It’s a common theme now — Roof replacements that create angst among residents. From ABC7 in California:
Homeowners at the Villa Moura condominium complex in San Clemente are pushing back against a more than $26,000 emergency assessment for roof replacements, saying the cost is placing a financial burden on residents and questioning whether the assessment was legally imposed.
That’s an expensive one. Boards are obligated, however, to fix stuff that’s broken. Roofs are among the most expensive replacement costs among HOAs.
“They’re not going to be able to afford this, and the board’s response is to take out a loan, or take out equity of your house, or dip into your retirement, and I feel like that’s just unacceptable,” homeowner Megan Blanda said.
HO-6 insurance, anyone?
When these things happen, everyone is an expert:
Residents said the HOA board has known for several years that repairs would be needed to the tile roofs. They contend the roofs are not leaking and that only the underlayment needs replacement, not all of the tiles.
I do feel for the residents, but also the board. In most of these cases the boards are hard pressed to appease anyone, yet kicking this kind of repair down the road only gets more expensive.
The HOA board said it could not comment because of ongoing legal matters. Residents said they are considering filing a lawsuit against the board. Experts also advise homeowners living in HOA communities to consider loss assessment coverage as part of their insurance policies, which can help cover emergency HOA assessments.
More reasons to ensure you’re properly insured at the homeowner level. Read the article HERE.
