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LETTERS: HOA board loses valuable members

To the editor:

As a homeowner within a community with a homeowners association, and as a volunteer on that association’s board of directors, I was heartbroken by the article in the March 6 Review Journal (“Three off HOA oversight board”). I believe the citizens of Nevada have suffered a great loss.

Commissioners Randolph Watkins, Robert Schwenk and Gary Lein were all long-time appointees. They understood that HOAs are a benefit to the cities and counties where they are located. HOAs take on the responsibility of maintaining and/or repairing streets, sidewalks, curbs and gutters, street cleaning, landscaping, street lighting and a litany of other duties. These commissioners understood that HOAs pay for these types of maintenance items with monthly assessments.

The main problem with the HOA oversight board is that there is no appointee representing the HOA’s best interest. There are appointees representing developers, lawyers, management companies, certified public accountants and homeowner advocates. The commission is made up of two groups: people who make money off HOAs, and people whose job it is to protect homeowners from the mean old HOAs, no matter what the reason.

There are more than 3,000 HOAs in Nevada, and better than 51 percent of Nevadans live under the guidelines of HOAs. The commission never hears from those who like their communities and their HOAs, because there is nothing to complain about, but there are a few (the squeaky wheels) who go running to the commission after the mean old HOA has put a lien on their property because they won’t pay their monthly assessments or are in violation of community regulations.

After all assessment collection attempts have failed, the HOA is forced to sell the home, in accordance with Nevada state law. This is the only way the state allows HOAs to be made whole. This is when the commissioners’ phones ring off the hook by the supposedly poor, abused, noncompliant homeowner, screaming “Save me.” Just pay your assessments like everyone else and live by the rules.

I believe the state should require the mortgage holder to collect assessments for HOAs, just like property tax payments. We have legislators in Carson City who have never lived in an HOA. They are enacting laws that cost HOAs more and more money. They restrict an HOA’s abilities to do business or recover costs.

Is there a state legislator or an appointed official out there who will fight for HOAs? We need a hero. We just lost three.

FREDRICK WILKENING

LAS VEGAS

Obama’s approval

To the editor:

According to a recent poll, President Barack Obama’s approval rating has plummeted to 39 percent. The new low approval rating would not have been possible if the president didn’t have the complete backing of all the Democratic members of Congress.

If I were a judge and had the authority, I would hold all Democratic members of Congress in contempt for aiding and abetting President Obama with the arrogant and divisive agenda he is foisting on the American people. This must be remembered in November’s midterm elections.

CLARENCE LANZRATH

LAS VEGAS

Long-hauling

To the editor:

I was at McCarran International Airport, coming home from a trip. I took a cab, and told the driver to go down to Desert Inn, turn left, then turn right on Valley View.

He took the airport tunnel. I started chewing him out, and he said, “Oh, I thought you meant …”

I paid the fee, but he got no tip. I came out even on that, because the extra fee was the amount I would have tipped him. So he ended up shorting himself. I should have reported him.

Lynn McHatton

LAS VEGAS

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