For thousands of dollars a year, some Crandall homeowners are paying something their neighbors outside newer developments may not have on their bills at all.
It is called a Public Improvement District assessment, or PID assessment.
In River Ridge, Arbors and Cartwright Ranch, the additional annual obligation can be significant.
Published MuniCap schedules show projected 2026 annual PID installments ranging from roughly $1,715 in parts of Cartwright Ranch to nearly $4,800 in portions of River Ridge.
Those payments are in addition to regular property taxes imposed by the City of Crandall, Crandall ISD, Kaufman County and other applicable taxing entities. They also are not the same thing as HOA dues.
What Homeowners Could Pay
The amount depends on the development, lot type, improvement area and individual property. Based on MuniCap’s published 2026 projections:
| Development | 2026 Projected Annual PID Installment | Monthly Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Cartwright Ranch, 40 foot lot | About $1,715 | About $143 |
| Cartwright Ranch, 50 foot lot | About $1,903 | About $159 |
| Arbors, 50 foot lot | About $2,470 | About $206 |
| Arbors, 60 foot lot | About $2,715 | About $226 |
| River Ridge Improvement Area No. 1, 50 foot lot | About $4,179 | About $348 |
| River Ridge Improvement Area No. 1, 60 foot lot | About $4,353 | About $363 |
| River Ridge Improvement Area No. 2, 50 foot lot | About $4,596 | About $383 |
| River Ridge Improvement Area No. 2, 60 foot lot | About $4,788 | About $399 |
These figures are projected annual installments and should not be interpreted as the exact bill for every home. Administrative costs can be adjusted annually, individual properties may have different circumstances, and applicable Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone credits can reduce some PID installments. The city’s current annual assessment roll controls the actual amount owed by each property.
River Ridge Carries the Largest Projected Payments
River Ridge stands out among the three developments. A 50 foot residential lot in Improvement Area No. 1 has a projected 2026 installment of approximately $4,179, while a 60 foot lot is projected at approximately $4,353.
The newer Improvement Area No. 2 carries still larger projections, at approximately $4,596 for a 50 foot lot and $4,788 for a 60 foot lot. On a monthly basis, that represents roughly $348 to $399 a month.
For a household budgeting for a mortgage, homeowners insurance, property taxes, utilities and HOA dues, the PID obligation can represent another substantial housing expense.
Arbors: Roughly $2,500 to $2,700 a Year
The Arbors Public Improvement District also carries a significant annual assessment.
MuniCap’s schedules project a 2026 installment of approximately $2,470 on a 50 foot lot and $2,715 on a 60 foot lot, working out to roughly $206 to $226 a month when viewed as a monthly housing cost.
The remaining assessment itself is much larger than a single year’s payment, because homeowners generally pay the obligation through annual installments over an extended period.
Cartwright Ranch: About $1,700 to $1,900
Projected PID payments are lower in Cartwright Ranch but still add four figures to the annual cost of owning a home.
A 40 foot lot carries a projected 2026 installment of approximately $1,715, while a 50 foot lot is approximately $1,903, equivalent to roughly $143 to $159 per month.
That cost comes on top of ordinary property taxes and any other housing expenses associated with the property.
Why Do These Assessments Exist
A Public Improvement District allows a city to levy special assessments against property that benefits from designated public improvements.
In planned developments, PID financing can help pay for infrastructure associated with development, including streets, drainage, utilities, sidewalks, parks and other eligible public improvements.
Rather than requiring the entire infrastructure cost to be paid immediately, assessments can be financed and collected through annual installments over many years.
The result is that a home may carry an outstanding PID assessment long after the original infrastructure has been constructed.
The Assessment Can Follow the House
A PID obligation differs from an ordinary personal loan. Under Texas law, the assessment creates a lien against the property.
Selling the home does not automatically eliminate the remaining obligation; unless the assessment is paid off, the property generally transfers with the continuing PID obligation.
That makes the assessment important not only for current homeowners but also for anyone considering buying a home in one of the developments.
Texas law requires sellers of property located in a PID, with certain exceptions, to provide prospective purchasers with a written notice explaining the obligation.
The notice warns buyers that an assessment has been levied against the property and that it may be paid in full or through annual installments.
Homeowners Can Pay Off the Assessment
Property owners generally have the option of prepaying the remaining assessment instead of continuing annual installments.
The payoff amount is not simply the next annual payment multiplied by the number of years remaining; it is based on the property’s outstanding assessment and other applicable costs.
According to MuniCap’s homeowner materials, beginning January 1, 2024, a $500 fee is included when a single family residential property owner prepays an assessment, covering processing and lien release related filing expenses.
Homeowners considering a payoff should therefore request an official payoff quote rather than attempting to calculate it themselves.
TIRZ Credits Can Reduce the Bill
There is another important consideration. According to MuniCap’s published projection schedules, the displayed annual installment amounts do not include any applicable Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, or TIRZ, annual credit.
A Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone can direct certain tax increment revenue toward reducing PID obligations. That means a homeowner’s actual amount due may be lower than the gross projected figures shown in the extended payment schedules.
The size of any credit can change and must be determined for the individual property and assessment year.
Check Your Property, Not Just Your Neighborhood
Two homeowners who both say they live in River Ridge may not necessarily have identical PID obligations. Lot type, improvement area, assessment balance, credits and other factors can matter.
The safest number is therefore not a neighborhood average or a figure posted on social media. It is the assessment specific to the parcel, as contained in the current assessment roll or tax record.
Crandall lists MuniCap as the administrator residents should contact with questions about PID fees.
For homeowners in River Ridge, Arbors and Cartwright Ranch, understanding that number is important, because the PID is more than a line buried in closing documents.
In some parts of Crandall, it represents thousands of dollars every year beyond the regular property tax bill.
