Mello-Roos is not forever. It is usually sized to repay the bonds that built a community's infrastructure or schools, so it has a stated end date. The catch: the year is specific to each Community Facilities District, so you confirm it for the exact home rather than the neighborhood's reputation. New to this, start with What is Mello-Roos.

The general rule: about 30 years

Los Angeles County states that these CFD bonds "are normally issued for 30 years" and are billed with your property taxes. So a district's end date depends largely on when it was formed and when its bonds were issued. Newer tracts started the clock later, so they run later.

Confirmed end dates (primary source)

• Hart CFD No. 2005-1 (Plum Canyon / Golden Valley area): through fiscal year 2050-51. The district's Rate and Method states the special tax "shall not be levied after Fiscal Year 2050-51." Source: the CFD No. 2005-1 annual special tax report and RMA.
• LA County CFD No. 3, Improvement Area C (Stevenson Ranch): bonds finish September 1, 2032. The Series 2012A bonds carry serial maturities through 2032, the final maturity. Source: the Improvement Area C official statement and the county annual report.

End dates still being confirmed

For these we will publish the year only once it is tied to a primary document, not estimate it: Improvement Area A of Stevenson Ranch's county district; the newer Valencia FivePoint district (county CFD No. 2021-01, bonds issued 2022); the other Hart school CFDs (90-1, 99-1, 2000-1, 2002-1, 2004-1, 2015-1, 2021-1); and the Saugus, Newhall, Sulphur Springs, and Castaic school district CFDs. If your home is in one of these, confirm the end date with the administrator below.

Does the amount change before it ends?

It depends on the district. Los Angeles County's policy structures its own facilities special taxes as a flat tax with no annual escalation. School-district CFDs set their own rules: the Hart CFD No. 2005-1, for example, rises 2% per year until it ends. So check both the end date and whether the amount escalates. More on the math: Mello-Roos vs HOA vs property tax.

How to confirm your home's end date

Read the property tax bill (the Mello-Roos line lists the agency's phone), or call: Hart school CFDs, KeyAnalytics (877) 575-0265; county CFDs, LA County Auditor-Controller (213) 974-8368; city CFDs, City of Santa Clarita (661) 259-2489. See the districts on the Santa Clarita Mello-Roos map.

FAQ

Does Mello-Roos ever go away?

Usually yes. It is typically tied to bonds that run about 30 years and then ends. Some districts also carry a smaller ongoing services tax that does not expire, so confirm your specific district.

When does Stevenson Ranch Mello-Roos end?

For Los Angeles County CFD No. 3 Improvement Area C, the bonds finish September 1, 2032. Improvement Area A's end date should be confirmed with the county, as it was not separately verified here.

When does the Plum Canyon Mello-Roos end?

The Hart CFD No. 2005-1 special tax can be levied only through fiscal year 2050-51, per the district's Rate and Method.

Connor MacIvor, REALTOR, DRE #01238257, Sync Brokerage. The Sellers Only Agent, Santa Clarita Valley. sellersonlyagent.com

Sources

• Hart Union HS District CFD No. 2005-1 Annual Special Tax Report + RMA (levy ends FY2050-51; 2% escalator)
• LA County CFD No. 3 Improvement Area C Official Statement, Series 2012A (final maturity Sept 1, 2032)
• LA County Auditor-Controller, Mello-Roos assessment FAQ (bonds normally 30 years)
• LA County CFD policy (county facilities special taxes structured flat, no escalation)