SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. — A routine day at the Vilamoura condominium complex has turned into a financial nightmare for homeowners after residents were hit with a more than $26,000 assessment to help pay for new roofs.
The 198-unit complex sits on the 220 block of Via Presa in San Clemente, where homeowners say the unexpected expense has created widespread frustration.
For some residents, the assessment represents a significant financial burden. For others, it could mean dipping into savings they had planned to rely on for years.
Beverly Albright, an 81-year-old longtime resident, said she lives on a fixed income and was stunned when she learned how much she would be expected to pay.
“This was just such a surprise and it’s due in six weeks,” Albright said. “I will have to take the last of my retirement funds. You just can’t come up with that.”
Homeowners Given Several Payment Options
Residents say they were informed that the charge was being imposed as an “emergency assessment” connected to the replacement of the complex’s roofs.
The amount reportedly exceeds $26,000 per homeowner, leaving residents with several payment choices.
According to homeowners, they can pay the assessment upfront, split it into two payments, or choose a financing arrangement that would require them to pay more than $2,000 per month for six months, followed by $400 per month until the balance is paid.
Residents were also reportedly warned that liens could be placed on their properties if the assessment was not paid.
That possibility has added another layer of anxiety for homeowners who say they are already struggling to understand why the large charge was imposed so quickly.
Residents Question Whether Roofing Fee Was an Emergency
Some homeowners are now challenging the HOA board’s decision and questioning whether the situation actually qualified as an emergency.
Resident Noah Martin said homeowners had reason to believe the roof repairs had been known about for some time.
“In this circumstance, I don’t believe it was an emergency,” Martin said. “It didn’t fit the code for an emergency and that means that we, the members of the association, should have a vote.”
The distinction is important to residents because they believe a vote could give homeowners an opportunity to examine the proposed work and consider other options before being required to pay tens of thousands of dollars.
Rather than accepting the assessment without further review, residents are demanding greater transparency about how the project was planned and priced.
Homeowners Find Lower Roofing Estimate
Adding to the residents’ concerns is the cost of the proposed roofing work.
Homeowners say they obtained their own estimate from a roofing company, and that estimate was significantly lower than the amount reflected in the HOA’s assessment.
Residents now want the HOA to consider a competitive bidding process before moving forward with the project.
They argue that getting multiple bids could help determine whether the proposed roofing cost is reasonable and potentially reduce the financial burden on homeowners.
For residents already facing an unexpected $26,000-plus bill, the difference between competing estimates could have a major impact.
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Homeowners Demand More Transparency
Albright said residents attempted to get additional information from the HOA board and the property management company but were frustrated by what they described as a lack of transparency.
“We asked upfront for more information and how it was done, but we’ve been denied,” Albright said.
Martin believes homeowners should have a meaningful role in deciding how the roofing project moves forward.
“We as a community should have a vote on how we go about doing this and I think that’s the fair way to do it,” he said.
The residents’ concerns now center on several key questions: Why was the assessment considered an emergency? How was the $26,000-plus amount determined? And why isn’t there a broader bidding process?
Condo Owners Fight Back Against Assessment
For residents of the San Clemente complex, the issue is about more than a large bill. It is also about having a say in decisions that could affect their homes and financial security.
An assessment of more than $26,000 per unit can represent a life-changing expense, particularly for retirees and homeowners living on fixed incomes.
Albright’s situation highlights the stakes for residents who may have no easy way to absorb such a sudden cost.
As homeowners push for answers, they are hoping the HOA will provide greater transparency and reconsider how the roofing work is being handled.
For now, the dispute continues, with residents determined to challenge what they believe is an unfair and potentially avoidable financial burden.
Would you be able to afford a surprise $26,000 HOA assessment? Share your thoughts and tell us whether homeowners should get a vote on major emergency fees.