Can’t we just pass a special assessment?

No.

Under our current documents, special assessments cannot be used to cover operating budget shortfalls. They are only allowed for capital improvements and similar purposes.

In simple terms, that would be like a family collecting extra money but not being allowed to use it to buy groceries or pay the electric bill. The money could fix the car, but it could not pay the bills that keep the household running.

So even if a special assessment were approved, it would not solve the real financial problem the Association is facing.

What good would a special assessment be if homeowners were charged a one-time lump sum to fix amenities like the clubhouse or trails, while the Association still didn’t have enough money to pay the electric bill or the landscapers who maintain the community?