CondoWonk Mailbag
September 10, 2026
Doris Goldstein
Chief Editor
We’ve got two fresh picks for you!
What Passed, What Didn’t: California’s Legislative Session came to a tumultuous close August 31 at midnight. The dust is still settling but CondoWonk takes an early look at condo legislation—including a whodunit mystery about a major bill that looked like it was cruising toward the governor’s desk but never made it to the finish line.
The Real Reason for the 30% Tax: CondoWonk dug deep into legislative history and found the real reason behind the 30% federal tax on interest on reserve funds. It’s a doozy, and significant enough that I ended up taking the rare step of rewriting the original article.
Digging into legislative history from 1980, I found a Senate committee report revealing exactly what they thought about HOAs and the people who lived there. I’m not going to spoil it for you. Check it out here.
It’s going to take an Act of Congress to change this indefensible tax rate. CondoWonk is actively talking to some people who can help make it happen. Stay tuned.
Best wishes,
Doris Goldstein (aka the Condo Wonk)
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