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Cincinnati, OH HOA Rules: Assessment & Dues (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Budget adoption
Required annually by the board
Reserve minimum
10 percent of budget unless waived by owners
Lien authority
ORC 5312.08 and 5311.18
Special assessments
Board may levy, subject to bylaw thresholds
Financial transparency
Owners may inspect records

Summary

Cincinnati HOA assessments follow ORC 5311 and 5312. Boards adopt annual budgets with reserves of at least 10 percent. Unpaid assessments become liens. Owners may inspect financial records.

(A) An owners association may assess an individual lot for any of the following:

(1) Enforcement assessments and individual assessments for utility service that are imposed or levied in accordance with the declaration, as well as expenses the board incurs in collecting those assessments;

(2) Costs of maintenance, repair, or replacement incurred due to the willful or negligent act of an owner or occupant of a lot or their family, tenants, guests, or invitees, including, but not limited to, attorney's fees, court costs, and other expenses;

(3) Costs associated with the enforcement of the declaration or the rules and regulations of the owners association, including, but not limited to, attorney's fees, court costs, and other expenses;

(4) Costs or charges the declaration or bylaws permit.

(B) Unless otherwise provided by the declaration, bylaws, or rules, the owners association shall credit any amount it receives from a lot owner pursuant to this section in the following order:

(1) To interest owed to the owners association;

(2) To administrative late fees or enforcement assessments owed to the owners association;

(3) To collection costs, attorney's fees, and paralegal fees the owners association incurred in collecting the assessment;

(4) To the oldest principal amounts the owner owes to the owners association for the common expenses chargeable against the dwelling unit or lot.

(C) Prior to imposing a charge for damages or an enforcement assessment pursuant to this section, the board of directors shall give the owner a written notice, which may be in the form of electronic mail to an electronic mail address previously provided by the owner in writing, that includes all of the following:

(1) A description of the property damage or violation;

(2) The amount of the proposed charge or assessment;

(3) A statement that the owner has a right to a hearing before the board to contest the proposed charge or assessment;

(4) A statement setting forth the procedures to request a hearing;

(5) A reasonable date by which the owner must cure a continuing violation to avoid the proposed charge or assessment, if such an opportunity to cure is applicable. (D)(1) To request a hearing, the owner shall deliver a written notice to the board not later than the tenth day after receiving the notice this division requires. If the owner fails to make a timely request for a hearing, the right to that hearing is waived, and the board immediately may impose a charge for damages or an enforcement assessment pursuant to this section.

(2) If an owner requests a hearing, at least seven days prior to the hearing the board shall provide the owner with a written notice that includes the date, time, and location of the hearing.

(3) The board shall not levy a charge or assessment before holding any hearing requested pursuant to this section.

(4) Within thirty days following a hearing at which the board imposes a charge or assessment, the owners association shall deliver a written notice of the charge or assessment to the owner.

(5) Any written notice that this section requires shall be delivered to the owner or any occupant of the dwelling unit by personal delivery, by certified mail, return receipt requested, or by regular mail. Last updated June 29, 2022 at 2:35 PM

Source: Ohio Planned Community Act ORC 5312View official code

Full Breakdown

081 for condominiums, the owners association must adopt an annual budget and levy assessments to fund operations, maintenance, insurance, and reserves. The method of allocating assessments among unit owners, whether equal share, by square footage, or another formula, must follow the recorded declaration. Regular assessments cover common expenses such as landscaping, snow removal, insurance, management fees, and common area maintenance. Special assessments for unexpected repairs or capital improvements may be levied by the board, subject to any owner approval threshold in the bylaws. The reserve fund must receive at least 10 percent of the annual budget unless owners vote each year to waive or reduce the requirement.

Boards cannot divert reserve funds to operating expenses without owner approval. Assessments become a lien on the unit when due and unpaid. 18, the association may file a lien, charge late fees and interest as allowed by the declaration, and ultimately foreclose on the lien. The association must provide an itemized budget to owners before or at the annual meeting. Owners have the right to inspect financial records including bank statements, invoices, and contracts during reasonable business hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the HOA raise my assessment without a vote?
Regular assessments based on the adopted budget are set by the board. Some declarations require owner approval for increases above a stated percentage, so check your governing documents.
What happens if I do not pay my assessment?
The unpaid amount becomes a lien on your property. The association may charge late fees and interest and can eventually foreclose under Ohio law.
Can the board use reserve money for operating expenses?
Generally no. Reserve funds are designated for major capital repairs and replacement. Diverting them typically requires owner approval.

Sources & Official References

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