Great Park Neighborhoods HOA Guide: Mello-Roos, Dues and Parks

Every homeowner in the eight parks is a member of the master association. Some homes also belong to a sub-association that maintains a narrower area, such as building exteriors or the landscaping around a building. Those owners pay both assessments, and the sub-association’s documents are handed over at close of escrow.

The master association’s website lists the sub-associations by park, with managers that include several different management companies. Its dues schedule as posted:

• Master association dues of $221.83 to $260.00 a month during buildout.
• Due on the 1st and late after the 15th.
• Paid through ClickPay or by mail.

Common-area maintenance problems, such as broken irrigation, a downed tree or broken equipment, go to the master association’s maintenance email listed on its FAQ page.

The City of Irvine formed Community Facilities District 2013-3 (Great Park) in 2013 with the master developer, Heritage Fields El Toro. It covers the Great Park and the Great Park Neighborhoods. The city says it pays mostly for backbone infrastructure, including streets, signals, bike lanes, sidewalks, utilities, sewers, storm drains, parks and trails, and that part of it goes to building and maintaining the Great Park.

How the tax behaves over time, as the city describes it:

• It can rise by up to 2% a year. Future bond sales for certain improvements do not raise it.
• Once the original bonds are repaid, typically about 40 years, the charge drops by roughly 65% to 82%.
• The remaining tax continues indefinitely to pay for maintenance.

The city’s most recent annual report, prepared by Willdan, shows special tax collections of $62,825,541 for fiscal year 2024-25 across Improvement Areas 1, 2 and 4 through 18. It also shows about $27.3 million spent on Great Park operations and maintenance. The report does not say which neighborhood is in which improvement area, and we could not find an official per-home rate, so check your own tax bill or ask the city’s Fiscal Services staff through the main line at (949) 724-6000.

The city ties these benefits to paying into the CFD. Residents of the eight parks and Altair qualify for:

• A $350 Great Park Passport, while supplies last.
• Discounted skate sessions at Great Park Ice.
• One tennis court set aside first come, first served at the Great Park Tennis Center. Residents verify with a yourirvine.org account that lists their home address.

The Orange County Great Park itself is a city park, run by the City of Irvine’s Great Park Department and open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. The city says more than 500 acres are complete and about 300 more are in progress. Questions about the park go to the city’s Visitors Center at (949) 724-6247, not to the association.

The association’s pools are Beacon, Cadence, The Pools at 120 Newington (with a 25-yard competition lap pool), Pavilion, Rise (with a 50-meter lap pool), Solis, The Retreat and Luna. Its posted rules:

• Residents only, with no more than five guests per household and no pool parties.
• Private swim instructors need an agreement and insurance on file with the association.
• Park areas and basketball courts are open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Homeowners can reserve clubhouses and other spaces for a fee, including the Pavilion clubhouse, The Pools clubhouse, the Solis, Rise and Luna clubhouses, the Living Room and Grill at Parasol, Novel House and Beacon Park’s Meeting House and Art House.

Buyers of new homes get two free key fobs. Resale buyers should receive two from the seller, and replacements are $50 each. Fobs are picked up at 120 Newington on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with photo ID and proof of ownership. All tenants must be registered with the association.

The association’s design review rules give new owners two deadlines, both counted from close of escrow:

• Submit front, rear and side yard landscape plans within 4 months.
• Finish front and side yard landscaping, with an approved notice of completion, within 1 year.

Solar additions, security cameras and yard landscaping changes all go through architectural review. State law limits how far an association can restrict solar (Civil Code section 714) and prevents it from banning low-water plants or artificial turf (section 4735), but it can apply reasonable standards through review.

The master association contracts with Allied Universal for a 24-hour roving patrol, reachable by call or text at (949) 872-1433. The patrol enforces rules in common-area facilities, not on owners’ lots.

The association’s FAQ sends red curb, abandoned vehicle and blocked driveway reports to City of Irvine parking enforcement at (949) 724-7200. City rules on oversized vehicles and the 72-hour limit are in our Irvine guide.

The association lists the Orange County Fire Authority as the fire agency, the Irvine Ranch Water District for water and Waste Management for trash, with collection on Tuesdays unless residents are notified otherwise.