How do I sell a home with Mello-Roos in Etiwanda and Rancho Cucamonga?

Questions homeowners ask next

How do I know if my Rancho Cucamonga home has Mello-Roos?

Look at your current San Bernardino County property tax bill. The City of Rancho Cucamonga says Community Facilities District special taxes typically appear there as separate line items, billed through the County. The City's Special Districts page also has an address search that shows which City districts apply to a parcel, and staff can be reached at (909) 774-2582 or LMD@CityofRC.us. If a line item comes from another agency, such as the Etiwanda School District, contact that agency for its notice. Check the bill for the current year, since levies are set each year.

Who levies Mello-Roos in Etiwanda?

More than one agency can. The City of Rancho Cucamonga lists its own Community Facilities Districts inside city limits, including CFD 2004-01 (Rancho Etiwanda Estates), CFD 2017-01 (North Etiwanda, for landscaping and parkways) and fire protection districts 85-1 and 88-1. Separately, the Etiwanda School District board acts as the legislative body for its own districts, which its March 13, 2025 board minutes list as CFD Nos. 4 through 10 plus Rancho Etiwanda, Silver Ridge, Coyote Canyon, Henderson Creek, and Victoria Gardens and Day Creek Square. A single Etiwanda home can carry charges from more than one of them.

What must I give the buyer when I sell a home with Mello-Roos?

In most cases, under Civil Code 1102.6b the seller of a one-to-four unit home subject to a Mello-Roos lien makes a good-faith effort to obtain a disclosure notice about the special tax from each local agency that levies it, and delivers it to the buyer, as long as the agency makes the notice available. A notice from a private entity must show the district name, the current-year tax, the maximum tax, the allowed yearly increase, the end date and a contact number. The California Department of Real Estate notes the same exemptions apply as for the Transfer Disclosure Statement. Ask a California attorney about your own sale.

Does Mello-Roos go up every year?

It depends on each district's Rate and Method of Apportionment, the formula the City of Rancho Cucamonga says sets each district's annual levy. Formulas typically set a maximum tax, and the actual levy can sit below that maximum. For example, the City's FY 2025/26 special tax for CFD 2004-01 (Rancho Etiwanda Estates) was $3,398 to $4,280 per residential unit depending on home size, while the maximums were $4,410 to $5,555. The special tax notice for your district shows its own maximum, allowed yearly increase and end date, so read each one rather than assuming.

Is Mello-Roos the same as a landscape or lighting assessment?

No. The City of Rancho Cucamonga lists its Landscape Maintenance Districts, Street Light Maintenance Districts, Assessment District PD-85 for Red Hill and Heritage parks, and Benefit Assessment District 91-2 separately from its Community Facilities Districts. These are assessments, not Mello-Roos special taxes, though they can also appear on the property tax bill. When you prepare to sell, list every line item on the bill and note which are Mello-Roos and which are assessments, so a buyer can see the full yearly total.