Many HOAs register cars for security reasons

Q: Yesterday, we received a letter from our homeowners association, and I assume sent to all residents.

One article is titled "Important Notice Regarding Registration" and it goes on to say in one paragraph that during this registration, all resident vehicles must be registered with association. "In order to register your vehicle with the association, your current vehicle registration and proof of insurance must be provided." Then it lists the times that management will be at the swimming pool for our convenience to register.

There is no explanation why this is being done. I would like to know where they derive the authority to require vehicle registration. Or, are they trying to enforce the rules as required by the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles? And if so, I don't feel that I have to prove to anybody else the ownership and insurance on my car.

Since you are very savvy about HOA activities, and I read them all the time, I would like your feedback on my question. I am very interested in knowing what could happen if I just ignore those demands.

A: Assuming that the covenants or your rules allow for the registration of your vehicles, this is not an unusual procedure for associations, especially if the association is gated.

Some associations will then send to the owners parking identification stickers for their vehicles to show that the car belongs to a resident of the association. I do not know what the specific motives are for your association in implementing this policy and the reader would have to contact the management company or attend the next board meeting to inquiry the purpose.

I don't know of any associations that are using the registration form to contact the DMV, though I suppose some may contact them (if this is the case, the board should disclose that information on the registration form).

Most associations register vehicles so that they can more easily identify automobiles that are illegally parked or have some other parking violation.

Depending upon how the rules are written, noncompliance could eventually mean a fine/hearing notice being sent to the reader.

Q: I live in an HOA that has a self-managed association. Can a sister who is president and a owner, have her brother as an assistant to the president?

He lives with her and they use the same phone number. I check property records but could not find that he owns a unit.

The covenants, conditions and restrictions state that to be a member of the association, you need to be an owner, but they are not clear about being a on the board.

We have one vote per unit, can they both vote? What are the laws on this and how should it be handled?

A: The brother cannot be a board member as he is not a unit owner. As to your term, "assistant to the president," if this is meant to be a clerical position since you self-manage your association, whether or not the brother is being paid, the board should approve or disapprove his position as he would be exposed to the association's confidential information.

Even if the brother was an owner, it does not matter whether you have multiple owners of a single home, there is only one vote for that household.

Q: From time to time, the board members, most often trying to decide how to handle a roof repair problem (interior damage), come across an owner and/or a tenant who is living in total squalor -- a filthy unit full of trash.

You can't tell it from the outside, but you would not want your dog living inside. Is there anything we can do?

A: Unless, the person poses a health hazard to other owners, I would say no.

Barbara Holland, certified property manager, is president and owner of H&L Realty and Management Co. To ask her a question, email support@hlrealty.com.