Top Q: Ive heard of something called Mello-Roos. What is it?
In the 1980s, two California legislators named Henry Mello and Mike Roos pushed through a law that allows public agencies to establish Mello-Roos districts to attain money to support schools, roads, sewers, and other infrasturcture. The Poway Unified School District established a Mello-Roos district in the late 80s. The effect is that homes constructed here since 1990 are subject to a 25 year Mello-Roos bond obligation to pay for schools. The Mello-Roos bond payment is included in the owner’s semiannual property tax bill. The amount varies depending upon the size of the property and subdivision or condo complex. Note: Voters passed a Proposition U school bond in 2002 that covers homeowners not subject to Mello-Roos. The Prop U bond costs $55 per $100,000 of assessed value. Still, this is less expensive than Mello-Roos. Bottom line: If you own a home in the Poway School District, you will pay a school bond of some kind.
