Irvine Mello-Roos: A Guide to Special Taxes by Village
Megan Varga | November 3, 2026
Megan Varga | November 3, 2026
Mello-Roos is a special tax that pays for roads, parks, schools, and other public facilities in newer neighborhoods. It comes from a 1982 state law, the Mello-Roos Community Facilities Act. In Irvine, a home can also be in a city assessment district, which is a separate charge for public improvements. Both are listed on the county property tax bill, in addition to the regular property tax. This guide uses city and school district records (checked November 2026).
Most Irvine villages built since about 2000 have Mello-Roos. In most of them, it is an Irvine Unified school tax, and the homes are also in a city assessment district. The Great Park Neighborhoods and Columbus Grove have a city Mello-Roos tax instead. Older villages such as Turtle Rock, University Park, and Woodbridge have neither.
The table below lists the special districts for each village. In the table, "Mello-Roos district" refers to a Community Facilities District (CFD). In Irvine, these are run by either Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) or the city. "City assessment district" refers to a City of Irvine district formed under the 1913 and 1915 state acts. "RAD" is a reassessment district, which is an assessment district whose bonds were refinanced.
Districts can be different from one tract to the next in the same village. Use the table to compare villages, and then check the tax bill for the specific home. Our guide to Irvine's villages covers each village's schools, home types, and price range. This post covers only special taxes.
Sources: the City of Irvine list of Community Facilities Districts and 1913/1915 Act assessment districts, IUSD CFD reports, the 2017 official statement for IUSD CFD 09-1, and state CFD records published by the Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector. All checked November 2026. The table shows only city and IUSD special districts. It does not show the regular property tax, voter-approved bonds, or other charges that appear on every Irvine bill. For Columbus Grove, also check the bill for a school district tax.
These three villages are in two districts. The city's Assessment District 00-18 covers all three. They are also in IUSD's CFD 01-1, which is a Mello-Roos school district. State records list it as the South Irvine Communities district. Buyers are sometimes told these villages have only an assessment district. Both charges apply.
IUSD refinanced the CFD 01-1 bonds in 2015, with the last bond payment scheduled for 2038. In 2024, the IUSD board reviewed a plan to refinance them again. The presentation stated that the term of the tax would not be extended (IUSD, September 2024).
Most villages built after 2005 are in IUSD's largest school district, CFD 09-1. It was formed in 2009 and covers about 4,860 acres. Its 2017 bond statement lists Portola Springs, Woodbury and Woodbury East, Stonegate and Stonegate East, Cypress Village, Orchard Hills, Eastwood, Laguna Altura, Los Olivos, and Hidden Canyon. The last of its current bonds are scheduled to be repaid in 2058 (IUSD financial statements, June 2025).
Woodbury is also in IUSD CFD 04-2, and Portola Springs is also in IUSD CFD 06-1. Each of these villages has a city assessment district as well. Most homes here have at least two special charges on the tax bill.
The Great Park Neighborhoods are in the city's CFD 2013-3. Columbus Grove is in the city's CFD 2005-2. These two villages have a city Mello-Roos district and no city assessment district.
The Great Park tax works differently from the others. According to the city, it can go up by as much as 2% a year. The original bonds are expected to take about 40 years to repay. After that, the tax drops by about 65% to 82%. The rest of the tax continues with no end date to pay for maintenance of public improvements, including the Great Park (City of Irvine, checked November 2026).
Both charges are paid with the county property tax bill. They work in different ways.
City assessment districts. When the district was formed, each parcel was given a fixed share of the district's bonds. The owner pays that share back in yearly installments with interest until the bonds are repaid. State law allows an owner to pay off the remaining balance early. The payoff includes the unpaid principal plus some interest and fees (California Streets and Highways Code, section 8766).
Mello-Roos districts. Each Mello-Roos district has rules that were written when it was formed. The rules set a maximum tax. They also say how much the tax can increase each year and how long it can be charged. Some Mello-Roos taxes can be paid off early and some cannot. The district's administrator can tell you which rules apply to a specific home.
Lenders include both. Fannie Mae's rules, for example, count special assessments as part of a borrower's monthly housing expense (Fannie Mae Selling Guide, checked November 2026). A higher special tax lowers the loan amount you can qualify for.
This post does not list typical dollar amounts. They are different for each district, tract, and home size. The current tax bill for the specific home is the most reliable number.
Turtle Ridge and Turtle Rock are near each other, and both are assigned to University High School. If you compare two homes at the same price, one in each village, the Turtle Ridge home will have a higher yearly tax bill. It has the city assessment and the IUSD school tax. The Turtle Rock home has neither.
The Turtle Ridge home was built in the 2000s. Many Turtle Rock homes were built in the 1970s and 1980s and may need updates that a newer home does not. Our Turtle Ridge community guide covers the enclaves and home types there.
Megan holds a Master's degree in Real Estate Development from USC. Special districts like these are one of the main ways new California communities pay for roads, schools, and parks. That is why this guide uses the city's and IUSD's own records instead of listing descriptions.
Check before you write an offer. Each of these steps uses public records.
Look up the current tax bill. The Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector posts property tax bills online at taxbill.octreasurer.gov. Mello-Roos taxes and assessments are listed under "Special Assessment Charges." Each line shows the name of the district and a phone number for questions.
Use the county's tax map. The county's OC Tax Map shows Mello-Roos and other special charges by address.
Read the seller's notices. California law requires the seller to make a good-faith effort to get a notice from each agency that charges a Mello-Roos tax or a 1915 Act assessment on the home, and to give those notices to the buyer (California Civil Code, section 1102.6b). Look for the current amount, the maximum amount, how much it can increase each year, and the last year it can be charged.
Give the figures to your lender early. The special taxes change the monthly payment the lender will approve. Your lender needs them before you set a price range.
Ask about a payoff if it matters to you. For a city assessment, ask the City of Irvine for the payoff amount. For a Mello-Roos tax, ask the district's administrator whether a payoff is allowed.
The city's list of districts is on its Community Facilities District and assessment district page. Our Orange County neighborhood pages show where each village is.
Yes. Turtle Ridge is in IUSD's CFD 01-1, which is a Mello-Roos school district. It is also in the city's Assessment District 00-18. Quail Hill and Shady Canyon are in the same two districts.
No. Turtle Rock is not in any of the city's current special districts or IUSD's current school districts. Check the tax bill for the specific home before you write an offer.
City assessment districts can be paid off early under state law. For a Mello-Roos tax, it depends on the rules of that district. The district's administrator can tell you whether a payoff is allowed and what it would cost.
Special taxes are one part of the cost of owning a home in Irvine. They should not decide your choice of village on their own. An older home with no special taxes may need more repairs and updates. A newer home with special taxes may need very few. Compare the full monthly cost of each home, with the special taxes included, before you decide.
For current prices in Irvine, see our Irvine housing market report. If you are comparing homes in two or three villages and want help reading the district notices for each one, contact the Megan Varga Group.
Megan Varga Group's excellent reputation, integrity and loyal client base ensures you are working with professionals you can trust. Contact us to put our extensive education, wealth of experience, and proven track record to work for you.
Megan Varga Group is affiliated with Compass, a licensed real estate broker in California, and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. All measurements and square footages are approximate. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage.
Megan Varga Group’s excellent reputation, integrity and loyal client base ensures you are working with professionals you can trust. Let Megan Varga Group's extensive education, wealth of experience, and proven track go to work for you.
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