For Buyers & Sellers

Mello-Roos District Lookup

Find out whether a Peninsula neighborhood carries a Mello-Roos special tax, and what it typically adds to the annual bill.

Peninsula Coverage

Select a city or neighborhood

Mello-Roos Status
Typical Annual Mello-Roos
Common Districts in Area
Effective Combined Tax Rate
Typical Sunset Year
Mello-Roos status is parcel-specific. This tool indicates whether a city contains any Mello-Roos community facilities districts and provides typical figures, but the only authoritative source is the property's most recent tax bill (or a search of the County Assessor's parcel record). Lisa M. Lum and Coldwell Banker Realty do not warrant accuracy. Always verify before writing an offer.

Mello-Roos on the Peninsula

Why is most of the Peninsula free of Mello-Roos?

Mello-Roos community facilities districts are most common in newer master-planned developments where the city or county uses the bonds to fund infrastructure (schools, roads, parks, fire, sewer) without raising general property taxes. Most established Peninsula cities (Atherton, Hillsborough, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Burlingame) were fully built out before the Mello-Roos Act was passed in 1982 and never used the mechanism. The notable exceptions are master-planned redevelopments like Bay Meadows in San Mateo, Redwood Shores in Redwood City, and Rivermark in Santa Clara.

How do I know what district a specific home is in?

Three reliable sources, in order. First, the seller's prelim title report (your title company will pull it once you're in contract). Second, the property's most recent property tax bill, which itemizes every special assessment line. Third, the County Assessor parcel viewer (San Mateo County and Santa Clara County both have free online lookups). Many MLS listings note Mello-Roos in the disclosures, but never rely on the listing alone.

How much does Mello-Roos add to my mortgage qualification?

Lenders include Mello-Roos in your debt-to-income calculation. A $5,000 annual Mello-Roos assessment is roughly $417 per month, which can reduce your maximum loan amount by $60,000 to $80,000 depending on bracket. On a Bay Meadows home with a $7,500 annual assessment, this can be the difference between qualifying for a $2.2M home or a $2.1M home. Always factor it in before you set a price ceiling.

When does Mello-Roos expire?

Each district has its own bond schedule, typically 25 to 40 years from formation. Bay Meadows bonds (formed mid-2000s) run through approximately 2045-2050. Redwood Shores bonds (formed 1980s and refinanced) are largely sunsetting in the 2030s. Always ask the title company for the specific district's expiration year. If a home is 5 years from a Mello-Roos sunset, that's a real value point worth raising in negotiation.

Need a parcel-specific check?

Send Lisa an address and she'll pull the title prelim and most recent tax bill so you know the exact Mello-Roos picture before writing an offer.

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