Tahoe Donner HOA Fees
With 6,500 homeowners in the hills above Truckee, Tahoe Donner is one of the nation's largest homeowner associations. It's governed by a 5-member Board of Directors who are elected by the owners. The Board voted to increase the 2025 annual HOA fee to $3,300 a year.
In 2026, the HOA fee is expected to be further increased, but the Board has said that the big change moving forward will be that the Annual Assessment will include member use of Tahoe Donner's private amenities at no extra charge:
- Trout Creek Recreation Center
- Tennis Center
- Beach Club Marina at Donner Lake
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Public Amenities
Those who own in Tahoe Donner (even vacant lot owners) are responsible for the annual HOA fee, which pays for staffing and subsidizes the operation of many Tahoe Donner amenities, some of which rely on the subsidy to pay operational costs. Various Tahoe Donner amenities are open to the public. These include:
- The Lodge Restaurant & Pub
- The Downhill & Cross Country Ski Areas (as well as the restaurants & bars at both facilities)
- Tahoe Donner Golf Course
- Pizza on the Hill (a seasonal restaurant & bar)
- Hundreds of acres of open space with carefully groomed trails for hiking, biking & horseback riding
Private Amenities
Other amenities are open only to Tahoe Donner homeowners and their guests through a fee-based access policy in 2025 (moving forward, in 2026, it's expected that these facilities will be open to Tahoe Donner owners at no extra charge):
- The Beach Club/Marina at Donner Lake (white sand, full-service beach with kayak & SUP storage and rentals, cafe, bar, and locker rooms with boat launch, Swim & Fishing Docks, and children's swim areas)
- Trout Creek Recreation & Fitness Center (gym, swimming pools, and fitness classes)
- Tahoe Donner Tennis Center
- Northwoods Swimming Pool (slide & kiddie swim area) Click here to read more ...
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Facility Use Fees in Tahoe Donner
Tahoe Donner owners pay to use the amenities open to the public such as the Cross Country Ski Area, but owners receive a discounted rate. The cross country center, for example, charged $682 for an adult season pass in the 2024-25 season (and $511 for Tahoe Donner homeowners). Owners also receive discounted rates for golf and the downhill ski area.
For many years, Tahoe Donner allowed homeowners to purchase an annual Rec Card, which entitled the holder to unlimited use of:
- Trout Creek Recreation Center
- Tennis Center
- Beach Club Marina at Donner Lake
No Rec Fees After 2025
In 2026, Tahoe Donner is forecasting another increase in the annual HOA dues, but the big change will be that owners will no longer be required to pay daily access fees (or an annual Rec Fee) to use the above amenities. Access to the fitness center, the pools, the Beach Club Marina, and Tennis will be included in the annual HOA fee starting in 2026. The goal of that policy change was to ensure a reliable revenue stream to find these amenities.
For 2025, fees to use the other Member-only facilities like the fitness center, tennis, or the marina, can either be paid at the time of entry (daily fees vary for each facility), or based on the following scale for unlimited annual use:
How Tahoe Donner HOA Fees Stack up to other Communities
While no one likes fee increases, Tahoe Donner's HOA dues have been for many years on par with many other resort-like destinations in Tahoe/Truckee. The Northstar Property Owners Association, for example, (serving the homes around the golf course, the older condos, and Big Springs owners) is $1,700/year and includes year-round swimming, a fitness center, tennis, and seasonal pools.
Tahoe's Gated Communities Charge Higher Fees
Gated communities have far higher HOA dues with tiered membership programs for access to amenities and club facilities. The HOA dues in Lahontan, for example, were $5,800/year in 2025, and that does not include amenity access, which requires a social membership ($70,000 initiation fee, and annual dues of $13,950 for 2025). Golf memberships are sold separately, and prices vary, as these are sold on the open market with a percentage due to the Club on each sale. (Unlike Tahoe Donner, the HOA at Lahontan is separate from the Club)
In Gray's Crossing, which is not gated, the HOA dues are just under $300/quarter, but no longer include access to the Gray's fitness center with a seasonal pool and hot tub. Access to the fitness center & pool requires a separate membership in the Tahoe Mountain Club. (Gray's Crossing, like the newer areas of Northstar, also charges owners annual debt service payments for Mello Roos bonds that were floated to fund the infrastructure of the new developments.)
Q: What do HOA Fees and Bridge Tolls have in Common? A: They only move in one direction
Back in 2016, the Tahoe Donner Board of Directors made a commitment to hold HOA dues flat, and that lasted three years. By 2019, the HOA dues were increased to $1,965.
Please contact me with any questions! I've owned property in Tahoe Donner property owner for some 25 years, and I currently serve on the Long Range Planning Committee ~ Jackie 775-391-9443
Posted by Jackie Ginley on
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