Frequently Asked Questions for Special Assessment to Tax Roll

Q. I received a letter from the City of Hesperia stating that Hesperia Utility Billing has incurred costs at a property owned by me. What is this letter and why did I receive it?

The Hesperia Water District has made several attempts to collect payment from the tenant or property owner at the property listed in the letter. Due to the lack of response and/or payment, the District is authorized to pursue and recover fees incurred at the property per Hesperia Municipal Code 14.02.080.

The letter is a notice informing the property owner that the address on file has not paid their water bills.

Q. I am the property owner. My tenant did not pay the water bill. Why am I still responsible for the bill? 

Per Hesperia Municipal Code 14.02.080, the property owner is responsible for any violations or bills accrued on the property, regardless of tenancy. Please see our code of ordinances for more details.

Q. How do I pay my amount owed? 

There are multiple ways to pay the Hesperia Water District before the due date.

1. In-Person - We are located in Hesperia City Hall at 9700 Seventh Ave., Hesperia CA, 92345. You may pay by check, credit card, cash, or money order.
2. Phone - Please call (760)947-1840 to pay over the phone through the automated system with your customer number.
3. Online - at www.cityofhesperia.us. Customers can login to an existing account or make one-time payments.
4. Mail - You can mail a check or money order directed to:

Hesperia Water District
 Attn: Utility Billing
 9700 Seventh Ave.
 Hesperia, CA 92345

Q. What if I do  not pay this balance? 

Failure to pay will result in the amount owed being applied to the property tax roll. You will see this increase in your November/April property tax bill or in your monthly mortgage statement if you have an escrow account.

Q. When is the last day to pay? 

Payments must be received or postmarked by the due date on the letter to avoid your balance being transferred to the property tax roll.

Q. I missed the deadline to pay. Can I make a late payment?

The City of Hesperia Water District will not apply any payments directed towards the outstanding balance for the special assessment tax roll after the due date. To pay after the deadline, customers must contact San Bernardino County. Be advised that any payments received by the District after the due date will be applied to the current balance of the water account.

Q. Can I make a payment plan?

No. Payment plans are not available for tax assessments. 

Q. Can I make a partial payment?  

No. Payment must be made in full to avoid your balance being applied to the tax roll.

Q. Once I pay this balance on the letter, will I owe anything? 

Paying the outstanding balance stated on the letter in full will prevent the balance from being transferred to the tax roll. However, this does not include your current bills. Your current water/sewer bill is separate from the balance stated on the letter. 

Frequently Asked Questions for Property Liens

Effective August 1, 2022, the Hesperia Water District will be applying liens to properties with outstanding water bills. Please see below for frequently asked questions.

Q. What is a lien? 

A lien is the right to keep possession of a property until the debt owed by the person has been paid or discharged.  

Q. Why do I have a lien on my property? 

The Hesperia Water District will start the lien process on a property after the water bill becomes 21 days past due. Accounts that do not pay their bill, past due bill, or comply with our lien notice will be served a lien on the property. A lien will prevent the property owner from selling, refinancing, or making any legal changes to the property until the lien is removed.

Q. Why was I not notified about this lien? 

Hesperia Water District makes numerous attempts to contact the tenant and property owner on file for payment. After issuing the bill, the Water District will wait 20 days before sending a past due notice to the address on file. Failure to pay within 20 days will incur a 1% penalty on the total of your current bill. The Water District allows another 40 days for payment. If the water bill (plus fees and penalties) is not paid within 60 days from the original bill due date, the Water District will mail the tenant and property owner a notice of lien. If the bill remains outstanding after an additional 10 days, the Water District will apply a lien on the property.

Q. When did this lien program take effect? 

The ability to lien properties is included in the Hesperia Municipal Code 14.02.080. Please see our code of ordinances for more details.

Q. Do you disconnect water service for non-payment? 

The City of Hesperia Water District will utilize property liens in lieu of water disconnections as the primary mechanism for collections. Be advised that water service is still subject to disconnection for non-payment and can be utilized at the District’s discretion.

Q. I cannot pay my lien in full. Do you offer payment plans? 

The City of Hesperia Water District does not offer payment plans for liens. 

Q. When is the last day to pay before the lien is added to the property tax roll? 

The last day to pay your lien before it is sent to the tax roll is determined by San Bernardino County.

Q. How much time do I have to pay my bill before I am served a lien?

The customer will have 20 days to pay the water bill before given a past due notice.  Penalty fees apply on the 21^st day the water bill remains unpaid.  The customer will have 40 days after the past due notice before being issued a notice of lien. A notice of lien will be issued on the 61^st day the water bill remains unpaid.  The customer will have an additional 10 days to pay the original bill + penalties and fees. Any unpaid balances are subject to property lien as of the 71^st day from the original bill date.

Q. How do I pay the lien? 

You may pay the lien at the City of Hesperia Water Billing counter located inside the City Hall. We are located at 9700 Seventh Ave., Hesperia CA, 92345.

Q. How/when is the lien released? 

When you pay the lien, the City will file a Release of Notice of Pendency with the County. There is an approximate turnaround time of 3-6 weeks for the release of the lien to be processed and finalized.

Q. Will I receive a receipt of payment or release of lien? 

Yes.

Q. I am the property owner. My tenant did not pay the water bill. Am I still responsible? 

Yes. Per Hesperia Municipal Code 14.02.080, the property owner is responsible for violations or bills accrued on the property, regardless of tenancy. Notice of liens will be sent to both the property owner and tenant on file. Please see our code of ordinances for more details.