What you need to know about homeowner assessments versus pass through service fees.
Have you ever wondered why your monthly Jasper Community Association (JCA) invoice includes multiple line-item charges? Keep reading to understand what these fees are and why they increase from time to time.
What are pass-through services?
Your JCA contracts with third-party providers to deliver services to residents. Currently, these two services are trash collection (contracted through Waste Management) and internet connectivity (contracted through Sparklight). These services are not part of your homeowners’ assessments and are therefore billed separately as pass-throughs on your monthly assessment invoice.
What’s the difference between homeowners' assessments and pass-through services?
Your monthly assessment fees cover the essential costs associated with maintaining and managing the Jasper community, such as landscaping and maintenance of common areas, engagement opportunities and communications (like your resident website). These fees are used to cover ongoing expenses and to build up reserves for future needs.
Pass-through services are contracted with third-party providers to offer services to Jasper residents above and beyond the scope of the association and are typically more cost-effective for the residents. For Jasper, these services are weekly trash collection and internet service.
Why did my monthly assessment bill increase mid-year?
Your monthly homeowners’ assessment fee is set by the board of directors each year and takes into account the budget and anticipated costs for the coming year. By law, a 30-day notice to residents must be issued for an increase to a homeowners’ assessment fee.
Pass-through service fees can increase for a variety of reasons, such as contractual yearly increases or increases in the cost of service provided. If a provider increases their monthly rates, you can expect to see this increase reflected in your monthly assessment invoice. The passing on of these costs increases ensures that the JCA can maintain these services to residents without impacting the association’s budget.