Hoa Is Charging Every Unit A $4k Special Assessment Due To Unexpected Utility Usage

Location: Phoenix, AZ

I live in a townhome/condo complex. Our HOA just notified us that they’re charging a $4,000 special assessment to be due December 31, due to “an operating expense shortfall” due to utility and insurance expenses exceeding the budget.

There are 44 units in my complex. So they’re basically telling us that we spent an additional $176,000 on water/sewage/trash this year??? The original budget for the year planned for $53,448 for these expenses and $16,824 for insurance. So even if both of these doubled somehow, it wouldn’t add up to $176,000.

I emailed back requesting a documented break down of how they calculated that $4,000 number and they sent a mass email back saying “The Special Assessment has been calculated at $4,000 per unit. As stated in the assessment letter, the funds will be placed into the Association's operating account to help fund unexpected operating expenses. The total assessment amount was determined by reviewing the Association's current-year shortage, anticipated increases for next year, and deferred maintenance needs for the associaiton. At this time, the Association has not broken down the specific allocation of the assessments among these expenses.”

Is there anything we can do to fight them on this or at least push them to give us the proof?? I live in a low income area and this is a huge amount of money to just spring on everyone. I’d have to pay them like $450 a paycheck to pay it in full by the deadline AND our HOA fee is already $245 for a really shitty, not well-maintained, bare bones community.