CDD Fees in 55+ Communities and HOA Dues in NE Florida
In a Northeast Florida 55+ community, the HOA and the CDD are two separate bills from two separate entities. Here's how to add them up before you trust a monthly fee number.
Short answer: CDD fees in 55+ communities are assessments from a community development district, a special district that is separate from your homeowners association. The HOA bills you for its dues under the community's governing documents. The CDD charge may land on your county property-tax bill instead. You need to add both, plus any other layers, to see what the community really costs each month.
By Brian Sacks, SRES®, Christie's International Real Estate First Coast · October 26, 2026
Key Takeaways
- A CDD charge is legally distinct from an HOA assessment, because Florida law lets a community development district levy ad valorem taxes and non-ad valorem assessments of its own.
- CDD assessments commonly have two parts, an operations-and-maintenance amount that can change with the district's annual budget and a capital amount that generally repays bonds.
- Florida's HOA disclosure warns buyers that assessments may change periodically, that special assessments may apply, and that unpaid association or special-district assessments may become a lien on the property.
- A community with no CDD is not automatically cheaper, so compare the all-in monthly cost, and confirm in writing whether each fee is monthly or annual.
How do HOA fees and CDD fees actually differ on paper?
An HOA fee is billed by the association under your community's declaration. A CDD fee is a district assessment, and Florida law allows a district to levy ad valorem taxes and non-ad valorem assessments to build, operate, and maintain district improvements and to repay certain bonds. (I explain the basics in my CDD vs. HOA guide.)
Here's the side-by-side I use with my clients:
| Question | HOA assessment | CDD assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Who levies it | The homeowners association | The community development district |
| Where the rules live | Declaration, budget, and Florida Statutes chapter 720 | District records and Florida Statutes chapter 190 |
| How it is usually billed | By the association or its management company | May appear as a non-ad valorem assessment on the county property-tax bill |
| What can change it | The association's budget and any special assessment | The district's adopted annual budget and its bond schedule |
| Where to verify it | Current HOA budget, financial report, and reserve information | The district's adopted budget and assessment roll |
What does the HOA assessment actually cover?
It covers whatever the governing documents and budget say it covers. Florida requires HOA financial reporting to break expenses into categories, such as security, management and professional services, taxes, recreation facilities, refuse collection, and utility services.
That list is your friend. It tells you what the regular assessment pays for and what you'll still pay for on your own.
Florida's HOA rules also say the documents must spell out how expenses are shared and each member's proportional share. That share can differ between classes of parcels, so don't assume your neighbor's number is yours.
What are the two parts of a CDD assessment?
Most CDD assessments have an operations-and-maintenance piece and a capital piece. According to the Community Development Districts FAQ, the operations-and-maintenance amount can change with the district's adopted annual budget. The capital amount generally pays debt issued for infrastructure and facilities.
So one CDD line can really be two different obligations with two different futures.
Why won't HOA and CDD charges show up on the same bill?
Because they come from different entities. The same district FAQ notes a CDD charge may appear on the annual county property-tax bill, while HOA dues generally come from the association or its manager. Verify how the specific parcel is billed. Your closing agent, whether a title company or a real estate attorney, is a good person to ask.
This is the number one way buyers undercount. They see the HOA figure on a flyer and never add the CDD line sitting inside the tax bill.
What should you ask for before you trust a monthly fee number?
Ask for the full document set, then add every layer yourself. At minimum, request the declaration and amendments, the current HOA budget, the latest financial report, reserve information, the rules, the current assessment schedule, and the CDD's adopted budget and assessment roll.
A sales sheet is marketing. The documents control.
Is there more than one association layer?
Possibly. A 55+ development may have a master association, a neighborhood or sub-association, and separate amenity or club charges. Ask whether the advertised amount covers all of them.
Florida HOA budgets must also separately identify charges paid for recreational amenities, whether the association, the developer, or someone else owns them. If you love the clubhouse, pool, fitness center, or courts, find that line in the budget.
Also separate the recurring charges from the one-time or optional ones. Regular dues and recurring CDD assessments belong in your monthly budget. Special assessments, capital projects, transfer-related association charges, and optional club memberships get evaluated on their own.
What future changes should you ask about?
Ask the questions that reveal where the number is headed:
- Does the CDD have outstanding bonds, and when are principal payments scheduled to change?
- Is the CDD's operations-and-maintenance budget expected to change?
- Are the HOA's reserves underfunded?
- Is any major amenity or infrastructure work planned?
Can a special assessment show up after you buy?
Yes, it can. Florida's required HOA disclosure notice tells buyers that assessments may change periodically and that special assessments may also apply. It also warns that unpaid mandatory-association or special-district assessments may result in a lien.
Treat that language as a warning, not a price quote. It doesn't tell you what a specific community charges. Only that community's records do.
One caution. Condominium law, such as Florida Statutes §718.116, spells out owner liability, interest, and late charges for condos. Don't assume those rules automatically apply to a single-family, HOA-governed 55+ community.
Why does the all-in monthly number matter more than the label?
Because HOA versus CDD is largely an accounting choice. A community with no CDD is not automatically cheaper, and a community with a CDD and a low HOA can land in the same place. In my experience, the all-in monthly cost tells a different story than the labels do.
How different can two similar communities be?
Very. Del Webb Ponte Vedra and Del Webb Nocatee share a brand but carry very different monthly costs. I've seen buyers fall for the name and skip the fee sheet. I always tell them to compare the numbers before they fall in love with a floor plan. Figures change, so I verify current numbers with every client before they make decisions.
If you want a deeper look at one county, I broke down HOA vs CDD fees in St. Johns County 55+ communities. If you're weighing two specific names, my comparison of Regency at EverRange and Del Webb shows how I line them up. And if you're still sorting out where to look, start with 55+ communities in St. Johns County.
Which county and district are you actually in?
Northeast Florida spans Duval, St. Johns, Clay, Nassau, and Baker counties. CDD records are district-specific, so get the exact district name and county for the property. Never lean on a nearby community's figures.
Fees are a permanent line next to your purchase price, whatever you pay for the home. Get the CDD and HOA numbers right and the rest of your budget holds up.
What should you do before you walk into a sales center?
Register with your own agent first. The builder's rep works for the builder. That's not a criticism, just how the structure works.
My years with Pulte Homes and Del Webb, where I sold 800+ homes, taught me how builders price, how incentives work, and what buyers routinely miss in contracts. Fee schedules are near the top of that list. Confirm in writing whether each fee is monthly or annual, then compare communities on the full monthly cost.
Your numbers depend on the community, the district, and the home you pick. This is exactly the kind of comparison I walk my clients through before they ever sit down with a sales rep. Understanding CDD fees in 55+ communities is easy once you line the bills up next to each other.
The bottom line
Don't budget off one number. Pull the HOA budget and the CDD records, add the layers together, and compare communities on the full monthly cost. That's the comparison I build with my clients across Northeast Florida's 55+ communities, and it keeps surprises out of the first year.
Common questions
What is the difference between an HOA fee and a CDD fee in a Northeast Florida 55+ community?
An HOA fee goes to the homeowners association, while a CDD fee goes to a special district with its own authority to levy assessments. They arise from different governing entities and may be billed differently. Identify each one separately, along with any special assessment, before you compare communities.
Does every 55+ community in Northeast Florida have a CDD?
No. Some communities have a CDD and some don't, and the label alone won't tell you which costs more. Confirm for the specific property whether a district exists, which one, and what it charges, then compare the all-in monthly cost.
How often can HOA dues increase in a Florida retirement community?
Florida's disclosure notice says assessments may change periodically, but how often and by how much depends on the community's governing documents and adopted budget. Ask for the current budget and the recent assessment history. I help my clients read them before they make an offer.
Can a Florida HOA impose a special assessment after I buy?
Yes, the required disclosure tells buyers that special assessments may apply. Whether one is coming depends on the community's finances and documents. Ask about reserves, planned capital projects, and any pending or approved special assessments before you commit.
Are CDD assessments included in my property-tax bill, and can they change after I purchase?
A CDD assessment may appear as a non-ad valorem assessment on the county property-tax bill. The operations-and-maintenance amount can change with the district's adopted annual budget, and the capital portion generally repays bond debt. Check the current bill and the district's records for your specific parcel.
Want a straight answer for your situation?
Book a free 15-minute strategy call. I will tell you what fits, what to watch for, and when the answer is no.