Nevada law governs every HOA in the state. Too many homeowners don't know where to turn when a rogue board won't listen.
I keep hearing the same story.
A homeowner gets a fine that doesn't make sense.
They ask their HOA board for records. Silence.
They show up to a meeting to speak. They get three minutes and a brush-off.
By the time they tell me their story, they're exhausted. And they feel like nobody in government will help them.
Here's the thing most people don't know. Your city council can't help you. Your county commissioner can't help you either.
HOAs in Nevada don't answer to local government at all. They answer to state law.
It's called NRS Chapter 116 and that law is supposed to protect homeowners.
It says boards have to hand over records within 21 days.
It says boards have to hold meetings in the open, not make decisions behind closed doors.
It says reserve funds have to be checked regularly so a community doesn't go broke.
On paper, that's a good law. The problem is enforcement.
The state agency that's supposed to police HOAs often doesn't follow up on complaints.
Board members don't need any training to control million-dollar budgets.
There are no term limits, so one bad election can put the same person in charge for years.
And if a homeowner wants to fight back in court, small claims isn't really an option.
They're looking at district court, and that starts at $10,000 in legal fees before anyone even shows up to argue.
I want to be clear about something. I'm not writing this to trash every HOA in Nevada.
Plenty of boards do their jobs well. They keep neighborhoods looking nice. They handle disputes fairly. They spend homeowners' money the way they said they would.
But the system doesn't require any board to do those things. It just hopes they will.
And when a board decides to use its power to punish instead of protect, homeowners find out fast how few real options they have.
I think that's worth fixing. But before I start talking about how, I want to hear from you.
Has your HOA board ignored a records request? Used a violation as leverage instead of a fair process? Made a decision that never came up at a meeting?
I want your story. Shoot an email to: erica@neely4nevada.com
Not every HOA is the villain in this story. But the ones that are shouldn't get a free pass just because the state isn't watching.
Let's find out how many of you have a story like this one.
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