Reston Association homeowners would pay $900 in 2027 under the budget RA staff put in front of the board on October 8, $10 more than this year’s $890 and an increase of 1.1 percent.
The raise is the smallest in dollars since 2021, when the assessment also went up $10, and the smallest in percentage terms of any year since at least 2018. It follows three years of bigger jumps: 7.1 percent for 2024, 3.8 percent for 2025 and 5 percent for 2026.
The number is a first draft, not a final rate. RA CEO Peter Lusk presented it as Draft 1, the board takes it up again at its October 22 meeting, and RA’s own forecast shows the assessment reaching $1,000 by 2029.
The proposed $900 rate follows a decade of steady increases
RA’s assessment has risen $218 since 2018, about 32 percent, according to the staff memo in RA’s October 8 board packet and Reston Now’s coverage of the 2018 and 2019 budgets:
| Year | Annual assessment | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | $682 | |
| 2019 | $693 | +1.6% |
| 2020 | $708 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $718 | +1.4% |
| 2022 | $740 | +3.1% |
| 2023 | $763 | +3.1% |
| 2024 | $817 | +7.1% |
| 2025 | $848 | +3.8% |
| 2026 | $890 | +5.0% |
| 2027 (proposed) | $900 | +1.1% |
Proposals have come down before adoption in recent years. Staff first floated $923 for 2026 before the board settled on $890, and $865 for 2025 before the board adopted $848, according to FFXnow’s coverage of each budget cycle.
Staff cut more than $500,000 in operating costs and trimmed the capital contribution
The board directed staff to find operating cuts of 2 to 3 percent. The Draft 1 budget and the staff memo list where the savings came from:
- Eliminating the chief operating officer position, about $270,000. Lusk held that job before the board named him permanent CEO in July. Staff note the $270,000 figure is not the COO’s salary.
- Moving the activities guide online, about $100,000. RA will keep a limited number of printed copies at its headquarters, 12001 Sunrise Valley Drive.
- Professional, technology and payroll service fees, about $80,000.
- Aquatics overtime, about $60,000.
- Seasonal HR and IT staff, about $45,000.
The other big lever is RA’s contribution to its capital fund, the money that pays for repairs and replacement of pools, bridges, pathways and tennis courts. Staff set a 2027 capital target of $3.15 million, then offset about $397,000 of it with $200,000 in investment earnings, $100,000 from projects coming in under budget, $55,000 from canceled projects and a $42,000 contribution from Friends of Reston. That leaves $2.753 million to come from assessments. Staff calculate the offsets are worth $18 on each member’s bill.
Some costs still rise. The draft assumes a 4 percent merit pool for staff raises, a 5 percent increase in benefits, higher insurance and utility bills, $50,000 more for tree maintenance and removal, and $7,500 for a study of lake sediment tied to blue-green algae. Camp offerings grow, with more weeks of art, tennis and mini day camp.
Pool hours hold steady. RA pools were open 9,407 hours in 2026, down from 9,669 in 2025 after last year’s budget cut, and the 2027 draft assumes the same total as 2026. Visits fell to 102,326 this season from 119,456 the year before, FFXnow reported.
The 2027 draft budget totals about $24.1 million
Draft 1 projects $24.138 million in operating revenue, of which $19.374 million comes from assessments. Operating expenses come to $21.385 million, 1.3 percent above the 2026 budget. The assessment base is 21,525 equivalent units. Equivalent units are the count RA bills against, covering homes, apartments and other member property.
Revenue from other sources barely moves. More members paid on time this year, which trimmed late-fee income, and RA budgets $128,000 in late fees for 2027.
RA’s forecast shows $954 in 2028 and $1,000 in 2029
The five-year forecast in the board packet returns to increases of 3.6 to 6 percent a year:
| Year | Forecast assessment | Increase |
|---|---|---|
| 2028 | $954 | +6.0% |
| 2029 | $1,000 | +4.8% |
| 2030 | $1,050 | +5.0% |
| 2031 | $1,087 | +3.6% |
The forecast assumes expenses grow 4 percent a year and that the capital target reaches $3.75 million in 2029, with assessments covering the full amount from 2030. CFO Ed Vroom said the 2028 figure does not account for additional investment earnings or efficiencies staff hope to find, FFXnow reported. RA’s deed also caps how high the assessment can go in a given year. The cap for 2027 is $1,171, well above any number on the table.
The board could approve the budget at its October 22 meeting
RA’s published budget calendar still shows the board adopting the budget and setting the rate on November 19. The October 8 staff memo asks the board to direct staff to prepare the documents for approval at the October 22 board meeting instead, and FFXnow reports approval is scheduled for October 22.
Upcoming meetings:
- October 21: RA Finance Committee.
- October 22: RA Board of Directors, in person and online. Members can speak during the member comment period.
- November 19: the adoption date on RA’s original calendar, if the vote slips.
The board is short one member. Treasurer Matthew Mullenix resigned his at-large seat effective October 8, the day of the budget hearing, Patch reported. RA is taking nominations for an appointed replacement until noon on November 6.
The assessment is due January 1, and buyers pay a $374 transfer fee at closing
For current owners. The 2027 bill is due January 1. If 2027 follows this year’s schedule, late fees start after March 1. RA accepts payment online, by mail, by phone or at the drop box at 12001 Sunrise Valley Drive; credit cards carry a 3 percent surcharge, while ACH and debit do not, according to RA’s budget and assessment explainer. RA now offers a six-month installment plan with possible administrative fees, and the 2027 budget proposes seven equal payments with no fee. Owners who qualify for Fairfax County’s real estate tax relief program pay a reduced RA rate, $445 in 2026.
For sellers. The assessment shows up in the resale disclosure packet, which the seller or the seller’s agent orders through WelcomeLink, RA’s ordering site, and pays for under Virginia’s fee caps. RA has 14 days after payment to deliver the resale documents and does not offer rush service, so order the packet when the house goes on the market rather than after a contract comes in. A prorated share of the year’s assessment is usually settled between buyer and seller at closing.
For buyers. RA charges the purchaser a transfer fee at settlement, $374 in 2026. A buyer who sold the Reston home they owned and lived in to buy this one can apply, within 12 months of settlement, for a credit equal to the transfer fee against the next year’s assessment. When we build a monthly budget for a buyer, we add the RA assessment to any cluster or condo association fee.
For a full breakdown of what the assessment pays for, see our guide to Reston Association fees. For the rest of the monthly picture, see what it costs to own a home in Reston in 2026.
We will update this post when the board votes. If you are planning a sale or purchase in Reston and want help reading an RA resale packet or a cluster budget, reach out.
See something missing or wrong? Email us at [email protected] and we will check it and update the post.
