What belongs on a Texas HOA's reserve component list
November 9, 2026 · 2 min read
In brief
A reserve component list should hold every common item the association must replace on a cycle longer than a year and that has a predictable life and a cost large enough to matter. In Texas master-planned communities that usually means pools, amenity buildings, perimeter walls, paving and landscaping systems.
The three tests for a component
CAI’s reserve study standards use a simple filter. An item belongs on the reserve list when the association is responsible for it, it has a limited and predictable useful life, and its replacement cost is above a threshold the board sets (often a few thousand dollars for an HOA). Anything that fails one of these tests belongs in the operating budget or nowhere.
The list matters more than any other part of a study. A provider can only fund what is on it, and an item left off will arrive as a surprise.
A typical Texas master-planned HOA
The list below is illustrative, not a template for any real community. Lives vary with use, climate and the quality of the original work.
| Group | Common components |
|---|---|
| Pool and splash pad | Plaster or finish, coping and tile, deck, pumps and filters, heaters, shade structures, fencing, furniture |
| Amenity center | Roof, HVAC units, restrooms, flooring, fitness equipment, paint, access control |
| Perimeter and entries | Masonry screening walls, wood or steel fences, monuments, entry lighting, gates and operators |
| Streets and paving | Asphalt or concrete private streets, parking lots, sidewalks and trails the HOA maintains |
| Landscape systems | Irrigation controllers, valves, backflow devices, thoroughfare landscaping renovation |
| Water features | Pond aerators, fountains, bulkheads, outfall structures |
| Recreation | Playgrounds and surfacing, sport courts, park benches, dog parks |
Items that may not be yours
Texas communities often share infrastructure with a public body, and the line is not always obvious from the plat:
- Municipal utility districts. In much of suburban Houston and parts of other metros, a MUD created under Chapter 54 of the Texas Water Code owns water, sewer and drainage systems, and sometimes parks and trails.
- Public streets. Streets dedicated to the city or county are maintained by them, even inside a gated entry.
- Developer-held amenities. Until handover, some amenities may still belong to the developer.
Leaving these off the list avoids funding something twice. Where ownership is unclear, ask the provider to note it as an open question and check with the association’s attorney.
Keep the list alive
Every replacement, insurance claim and new phase changes the list. After hail replaces the clubhouse roof, its life resets; when a new phase opens a second pool, the list grows. Send those changes to your provider at each update. If you have never had a list drawn up, a Texas HOA reserve study starts with exactly this inventory.
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