[onfire]

Originally Posted by rustyp

Deferral Amenity Rate - Each District that
has been assigned Amenity Fees

Exactly, a deferral rate.

Deferral is a postponement of an action or event, non-permanent by definition.

[Rocksnap]

I’m just glad there are some on here that understand how these fees work. I’m definitely it one of them. Thanks Don!

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by Rocksnap

I’m just glad there are some on here that understand how these fees work. I’m definitely it one of them. Thanks Don!

"I’m definitely it one of them." ??????????

[Goldwingnut]

One thing I didn't mention in the original post was that the deferrals enacted by the implementation of the Deferral Rate can and could still be implemented at any time. When the recommendations of the PWAC and AAC to discontinue the Deferral Rate were acted on by the SLCDD and VCCDD respectively no reinstatement of deferred CPI adjustments were executed. These deferral reinstatements are still an option and could be executed by SLCDD and VCCDD at any time if the need arises.

The PWAC and AAC act in an advisory role to the respective owning districts and have no authority to take action on properties they have no ownership of (the laws are funny about things like this). Yes, the AAC has no authority over the amenities they do not own, their authority was only over the use and expenditure of the funds received in the lawsuit that enabled the AAC creation. Careful review of the establishing documents for both committees validated this.

The reality of the PWAC (in its amenity role) and the AAC is that they shield the responsible CDDs (SLCDD and VCCDD) from having to deal with the residents directly. After dealing with resident inputs the committees make recommendations to the responsible CDD, then the CDDs make the final decisions and take the necessary actions to execute those decisions. Neither CDD has ever overridden the recommendations of their respective committee, doing so would effectively end the protections they receive from the committee and they would have to deal with the residents directly, something they probably would like to continue to avoid doing.

[GoldenOwl]

This is very interesting...I have lived in The Villages for 4 years and have seen my amenity fee go up every year. $172.19, $186.97, $194.56 and now $200.90 a month. Is this normal? I am in CDD8.

[karenzeee]

Thanks Don for the very detailed explanation! I will be referring many to this post who ask us about the amenity fees.

Find My District - The Villages Community Development Districts - This link providing all the home information/Village/County and more is AWESOME and very helpful!

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by GoldenOwl

This is very interesting...I have lived in The Villages for 4 years and have seen my amenity fee go up every year. $172.19, $186.97, $194.56 and now $200.90 a month. Is this normal? I am in CDD8.

Find the section of your deed restrictions that mentions the amenity fee. You will see that it increases every year based on the CPI. Yes, this is normal.

[Janie123]

Originally Posted by GoldenOwl

This is very interesting...I have lived in The Villages for 4 years and have seen my amenity fee go up every year. $172.19, $186.97, $194.56 and now $200.90 a month. Is this normal? I am in CDD8.

Yes, the CPI from Dec to Dec for the last 4 years was 7.0, 6.5, 3.4, and 2.9. The increase date is tied to the purchase month of the house. Your increases were in line with these percentages. CPI does go down so I’m going to say, the amenities fee can go down too. Or they just hold the line in those years and eventually it catches back up.

Consumer Price Index Data from 1913 to 2025

[Nevinator]

Thank you, Don. Exactly the kind of answers I would expect from you: Thoughtful, well reasoned, on point, and a good dose of common sense.

[Nell57]

When we bought our first home in 2009 my realtor pointed out that what you are buying in The Villages is the Lifestyle. Whether we purchased a $200K home or million dollar home, all amenities are open to all residents. We all enjoy the same country clubs, pools , golf courses, rec centers and social clubs. It’s like being a kid again…I get to go out everyday and play with my friends.
When I compare our amenity fees to other communities with HOA’s this Lifestyle is still an incredible bargain.
The day may come when I am no longer active in the community, due to health reasons. If I find the fees onerous, or can’t get the care that I require, I might need to look elsewhere.
I hope that day never comes.

[Birdrm]

Thanks Don, I have always said how could it even be possible to cap the amenities, just looking at the past 5 years the inflation was about 20%. How could any district pay for their increased expenses and not raise the fee. Just look at McDonalds and their prices today compared to 5 years ago and that is just how business works, when expenses increase then the prices (amenity fee) increases.

[DrHitch]

To all,
Since Don's original post was so detailed and lengthy, there is NO NEED TO QUOTE the post in your reply.....just saying " on behalf of a friend".. haha

[DrHitch]

We rented a townhouse on Avenida Sonoma in the heart of Spanish Springs....that street does indeed have its own COA (community owners association)....they pay extra in addition to the amenity fee....a LOT more....but it covers much of the exterior maintenance of these clustered (duplex) townhouses.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

I liken the increases as a result of the deferral cancellation to the tax situation in Sumter County.

Everyone enjoyed low low taxes for a long long time, because that was what "the people" wanted. It's what they voted for, and what their representatives delivered.

The costs climbed ever upward, slowly, every year, until one year when they realized there wasn't enough buffer in the county coffers to cover the costs of - much of anything. The county was growing, more people = more wear and tear on the infrastructure, and more need for more utility work, and more need for more schools, and more curbing, more lights, more trash pickup, more traffic lights and stop signs, more fire department garages, more police, more everything. Inflation continued to rise, and maintaining what they HAD wasn't enough anymore. They had to add MORE STUFF to accommodate MORE PEOPLE. So they said they had to raise the taxes significantly. And everyone freaked out.

The alternative would be to NOT have all those improvements, that wouldn't have been needed for another 20 years if the farms hadn't been gutted and replaced by thousands of single-family homes. We'd be driving on roads with pot-holes or dirt roads, there'd be no traffic lights, no road striping, no extra fire departments, no more police, no place for area businesses to live, no place for their kids to go to school.

Low taxes = low services. It's just a fact of life. High taxes don't always mean high services, but low taxes always means low services. The same goes for amenities. Don't forget all those amenities are overseen and run by employees. Most of them are minimum-wage employees. Minimum wage has gone up several dollars per hour over the past few years. If the amenity fees don't increase, eventually, you'll have to cut the amenities or accept disrepair as the new normal.

[Veracity]

Originally Posted by Goldwingnut

Many have said, accused, or inferred that I am somehow indebted or compensated by the developer, these are untrue statements and ignorant lip service, and I openly challenge anyone to provide any proof to the contrary.

On the other hand, many people, like me, have never made these accusations. We are the ones who value all the useful information that you have gained through your extensive research, personal experiences, and service on The Villages CDD & PWAC boards as well as the Sumter County Board of County Commissioners. We appreciate your willingness to share this information and your opinions (both positive and negative) regarding all things Villages (including past, current, and future Villages projects) on various social media forums and through your Goldwingnut video productions. Keep up the great work.