2008 Survey of Community Association Financial Statements

Published in the ECHO Journal, February 2009

ECHO and the firm of Levy, Erlanger & Company, CPAs (LEC) completed a financial survey of approximately 1,500 Northern California community associations in late 2008. The associations included large and small developments, urban and rural projects, newer and older associations, managed and self-managed developments, etc. The survey included actual financial statements (either CPA- or management-prepared), not budgets, for fiscal years ended May 31, 2007 through April 30, 2008. The financial data summarized included both balance sheet (assets and liabilities—an indication of financial strength) and income statement (revenues and expenses—indicators of financial performance) accounts.

The surveyed associations were not statistically selected but were generally drawn from the client list of Levy, Erlanger and from information supplied by several financial management-only firms. Due to the nonstatistical nature of the survey, the summarized results will not be indicative of the financial strength (equity) or profitability (net income) of any particular association, but they will give an indication of what is “average” for the associations included in any particular subgrouping of the survey.

Demographics of Surveyed Associations

For all community associations in the state, approximately 2% are very large, 11% are large, 22% are medium and 65% are small. These statewide averages (and those disclosed below) are from the “2008 California Community Association Statistics” book published annually by LEC based on their statewide community association database of approximately 46,000 California common interest developments. Accordingly, the financial survey sample is roughly in proportion to statewide averages.

Size # of Associations Percentage
Very large (501+ units) 31 2%
Large (151 to 500 units) 207 14%
Medium (51 to 150 units) 487 33%
Small (2 to 50 units) 752 51%
Unknown  21 <1%

On a statewide basis approximately 66% of community associations are old, 17% are middle-aged, and 17% are young. Again, the financial survey sample is roughly in proportion to statewide averages.

Age # of Associations Percentage
Old (16+ years old) 752 51%
Middle-age (6 – 15 years old) 496 33%
Young (1 – 5 years old) 232 16%
Unknown age 18

On a statewide basis approximately 67% of all community associations are located in the 13 southern-most California counties. Since none of the surveyed developments are in Southern California this survey is not proportionately representative with respect to the location variable.

Location  
Alameda County 292
Contra Costa County 167
Marin County 88
San Francisco County 319
San Mateo County 162
Santa Clara County 255
Solano County 67
Sonoma County 31
Other Counties 117

On a statewide basis approximately 67% of all community associations are condominiums, condominium conversions and housing cooperatives, and approximately 33% are planned unit developments. Hence, the financial survey sample is reflective of statewide averages.

Legal Entity    
Condominiums, Condominium Conversions, Cooperatives (COOPs) 913 62%
Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) 565 38%
Other and Unknown Legal Entities 20

On a statewide basis approximately half of all community associations are professionally managed (i.e., off-site management company), and approximately half are self-managed. Self-managed, board-only managed projects tend to be smaller (under 30 units) while self-managed, with on-site manager, projects tend to be larger (over 300 units). Accordingly, this survey is not proportionately representative with respect to the management variable.

Management Type    
Off-Site Management Company 1,465 98%
Self-Managed (i.e., Board Members and/or On-Site Manager) 33 2%

Survey Financial Results

All surveyed associations (1,498 consisting of 142,581 units; not all associations are included in each line of the following survey results). In a 1995 survey of 929 Northern California associations representing 125,326 units, the average cash and investment balance, excluding litigation settlement funds, was approximately $220,000 or $2,900 per unit. Hence, the per unit increase over a 13-year period is only about 10%. Among small associations (2-50 units) average cash jumped from $3,400 per unit in 1995 to $10,900 per unit in 2008. The change was much less dramatic for medium and large associations.

Financial Strength Average Average per Unit
Cash, Excluding Litigation Funds $313,000     $3,200 
Assessments Receivable $26,000 $270
Reserve Obligation (71 Associations) $265,000

In the 1995 survey, the average assessment receivable balance for small associations was $580 per unit, while in 2008 it averaged $910 unit. Average assessments per unit and overall changes from 1995 to 2008 were generally smaller for medium and large-sized associations.

In the 1995 survey, the average reserve obligation for 58 associations was $117,000. Given the aging of associations, and the inflation of major repair and replacement costs, the increase of 125% over 13 years is not surprising.

Financial Performance – Income

Financial Performance – Income Annual Average PUPM  
Assessments, Operating $203,000 $177 73%
Assessments, Reserves $83,000  $67 27%
Total Regular Assessments $286,000 $244  
Assessments, Special (214 Associations) $150,000 $154  
Lawsuit Settlements (16 Associations) $675,000  $581  
Interest Income (1,321 Associations) $10,000   2.9% Average Rate on Cash

In the 1995 survey, operating assessments represented 74% of total assessments while reserve assessments represented 26% of total assessments—a negligible change from the 2008 survey results. From 1995 to 2008, on average, the assessments of small associations increased, percentage wise, more than those of medium and large associations. Small association regular assessments increased from $82,000 per year or $261 PUPM in 1995 to $234,000 per year or $823 per unit in 2008. Reserve contribution increases for small associations was even more marked—from $19,000 per year or $50 PUPM in 1995 to $69,000 per year or $228 PUPM in 2008. The foregoing results are based on a sample size of 373 small associations (11,048 units) in 1995 and 752 small associations (17,271 units) in 2008.

Newer associations (232 projects) had average regular assessments of $246,000 per year ($181 PUPM), middle-aged associations (496 projects) averaged $276,000 per year ($298 PUPM), and older associations (752 projects) averaged $307,000 per year ($237 PUPM). Similar data from the 1995 survey was $154,000 ($174 PUPM) for newer associations (110 projects), $177,000 ($192 PUPM) for middle-aged associations (450 projects), and $318,000 ($213 PUPM) for older associations (335 projects).

In the 1995 survey, 159 associations, 17% of those surveyed, had average special assessments of $142,000 or $150 PUPM. In 2008 roughly the same percentage of surveyed associations, 14%, experienced roughly the same average special assessments.

Newer associations (30 projects) had average special assessments of $69,000 ($44 PUPM), middle-aged associations (65 projects) averaged $101,000 ($123 PUPM), and older associations (116 projects) averaged $201,000 ($216 PUPM). Similar data from the 1995 survey revealed $15,000 ($25 PUPM) for newer associations (11 projects), $214,000 ($206 PUPM) for middle-aged associations (70 projects), and $96,000 ($105 PUPM) for older associations (74 projects).

In the 1995 financial survey, the average interest earnings rate was 3.6%.

Financial Performance – Expenses

In the 1995 financial survey, insurance, excluding earthquake, averaged $17,500 or $27 PUPM, and, for earthquake coverage only, $30,000 average (23 associations). 2008 insurance expense (excluding earthquake) may be slightly overstated due to some associations not disclosing earthquake coverage. Management averaged $22,000 in 1995 or $21 PUPM. Bad debt expense was not sufficiently prevalent in 1995 to warrant separate disclosure.In 1995, Management by association size was $22 PUPM for small (2–50 units, 332 projects), $16 PUPM for medium (51–150 units, 346 projects), and $13 PUPM for large (151–500 units, 156 projects) associations. 

Administration Average PUPM
Insurance, Excluding Earthquake $28,000 $25
Insurance, Earthquake Only (7 Associations) $32,000  
Management $19,000 $17
Bad Debt Expense (323 Associations) $13,000  $10 PURA

Similar data for 2008 was $64 PUPM for small (2–50 units, 697 projects, including several high-rise urban condos), $20 PUPM for medium (51–150 units, 454 projects), and $7 PUPM for large (151–500 units, 188 projects).Management expense, broken down by type of development, was $20 PUPM for condominiums (477 projects) and $13 PUPM for planned unit developments (322 projects) in 1995. Similar data for 2008 was $21 PUPM for condominiums (848 projects) and $13 PUPM for PUDs (519 projects).

In the 1995 financial survey, general maintenance averaged $24,000 or $40 PUPM. Security and concierge (262 associations) averaged $25,000 or $92 PUPM. Landscape maintenance averaged $28,000 or $30 PUPM. Elevator maintenance was not separately tabulated in the 2008 survey. Pool and spa expenses (468 associations) averaged $7,000 or $7 PUPM—virtually unchanged 13 years later in the present survey.

Newer associations had average maintenance expenditures of $77,000 per year (228 associations), middle-age associations averaged $77,000 per year (489 associations) and older associations averaged $91,000 per year (741 associations). Similar data from the 1995 survey was $42,000 for newer (111) associations, $49,000 for middle (461) associations and $71,000 for older (340) associations.

Maintenance Average PUPM
General Maintenance $50,000 $45
Security and Concierge (207 Associations) $50,000 $38
Landscaping $26,000 $21
Elevator Maintenance (295 Associations) $11,000 $13
Pool and Spa ($69 Associations) $8,000 $7

In the 1995 financial survey, total common area utilities averaged $52,000 per year or $53 PUPM.

Utilities Average PUPM
Gas and Electricity, Common $23,000 $21
Water and Sewer $21,000 $19 PUNA
Garbage Collection $18,000 $17
Utilities, Total $62,000 $57

Not surprisingly, major repairs and replacements have increased markedly due to the aging of community associations. The effect of increasing petroleum prices is evident in the doubling of average paving costs from 1995 to 2008. Even more striking, average painting cost has tripled over this same period.

Newer associations had average major repair expenditures of $86,000 per year (148 associations), middle-age  associations averaged $94,000 per year (356 associations), and older associations averaged $108,000 per year (549 associations). Similar data from the 1995 survey was $8000 for newer associations, $49,00 for middle-life associations and $76,000 for older associations.

Major Repairs and Replacements Average PUPM
2008 Survey    
Roofing (138 associations) $65,000 $81
Painting (150 associations) $94,000  $58
Paving (115 associations) $31,000 $26
Overall $99,000   
1995 Survey    
Roofing (136 associations) $52,000 $39
Painting (122 associations) $21,000 $22
Paving (84 associations) $16,000 $9
Overall $54,000  

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Acknowledgements

The generous assistance of the financial management-only companies listed below is gratefully acknowledged. Space does not permit the listing of the approximately 150 full-service management companies that also contributed financial data but their participation is also gratefully acknowledged.

Account Management Solutions

Community Association Financial

Community Financial Management, Inc

HOA Accounting Services

NA Shade & Associates


David Levy is a partner at Levy, Erlanger & Company, CPAs, in San Francisco. He is the treasurer of the ECHO board of directors and a frequent speaker at ECHO seminars.