A Dormant Special Service Area (SSA) is a financing tool that a municipality can establish to support future maintenance costs within a defined geographic area when an HOA is unable to complete said maintenance. A dormant SSA does not levy any taxes unless it is activated in the future.

A dormant SSA is a designated boundary within the Village that allows a special tax to be activated only if needed. Until activation, residents and property owners inside the SSA pay no additional tax.

There is no immediate financial impact; residents pay nothing unless the SSA is activated. The Village can activate the SSA later to fund improvements if certain conditions arise. Typically, this only occurs if a Homeowners Association (HOA) is never established or dissolves. The SSA allows the Village to take over necessary maintenance that an HOA would usually be responsible for.

The Village establishes a dormant SSA for every residential neighborhood. Dormant SSAs help communities plan ahead without placing an immediate burden on taxpayers. They are often used to ensure long‑term maintenance funding for shared amenities in a neighborhood like stormwater basins, private roads, or common area mowing and landscaping.

An SSA can also protect the broader tax base by ensuring that only properties benefiting from services pay for them. For example, if the HOA in Neighborhood 1 dissolves, SSA 1 will be activated and only the residents in Neighborhood 1 will pay the additional SSA tax.

If your property is within a dormant SSA, there is no current additional tax and no immediate action required. The designation simply ensures that, if future improvements or maintenance are needed that the HOA cannot complete, the Village has a fair and transparent way to fund them within the benefiting area.

I received a public notice that a dormant SSA is being created for my neighborhood. What do I need to do?

You are not required to take any action. You are welcome to attend the public hearing if you wish (the date, time, and location will be included in the letter you received). You may also contact the Village with questions.

Development Services Department
planning@oswegoil.org
630-554-3622