for the
Southern Highlands Community Association
(SHCA) Board of Directors
Elected by owners in 2023, I was removed mid-term by a developer-aligned board. That action is in litigation. The experience has only strengthened my resolve. Find here my assessment of SHCA’s governance and Nevada’s HOA laws — and why I believe change is urgently needed.*
If you think our HOA is just a harmless neighborhood committee, my story should make you think again. That line opened my recent commentary in The Nevada Current — and it wasn’t rhetorical. It was a warning.
I was elected to the SHCA Board on a platform to put control of SHCA where it belongs — in the hands of its owners. To my amazement it woud appear no one cares-- except Olympia, the developer and those supporting its interests. I hope I am wrong that owners don't care.
After more than an a generation, our community has been denied the basic right to elect a majority of the people who govern them. The right to representation is fundamental- HOA or otherwise. If we do not stand to demand this -- what do you stand for? Homeowners deserve a board that answers to them, not to a developer or its interests.
My focus then, as now, is on ensuring transparency, accountability, and fiscal responsibility. That means fair elections overseen by independent reviewers, open meetings where owners are heard, and financial decisions made in the open and in best interest of homeowners. Our assessments should deliver better services, not fund questionable spending.
Homeowner’s Fight for Fairness in Southern Highlands
Southern Highlands is recognized as one of the finest communities in Las Vegas. Protecting that reputation — and the value of our homes — requires leadership that is willing to stand up for owners. I remain committed to giving this community the voice and independence it deserves.
That is why I will be asking for your vote in the next SHCA election-- provided the board does not again refuse to allow my candidacy. Together, we can put owners back in charge, restore trust in our board, and ensure Southern Highlands remains the community we are proud to call home.
Read my commentary Attorney Fees and Weapons (published Nevada Current, October 1, 2025)
Read my open letter to SHCA owners- Hundreds of Thousands Spent to Avoid One Answer: Is Our Board Legitimate?
Read some of the NVHOAReform posts like HOAs Not Just Harmless Neighborhood Committees- My Story, When Elections Can Be Merely Symbolic and Lawmakers See “HOA” as a Four-Letter Word-Time for Accountability
Quick Issue Platform
Control & Governance
-
Owners still don’t control their own governace, the SHCA board after more than 26 years. Read my letter to owners here.
-
Conflict of Interest: Both the Board and the community manager remain tied to Olympia, an entity with competing interests. Where is owner fiduciary? Read more here. Examples:
-
Election Integrity: The Board refuses to use independent reviewers to oversee elections while the developer attempts to influence outcomes. Meanwhile, owners are not kept adequately informed — fostering apathy by design.
-
SHCA Owner have been disenfranchised. In May 2023 the declarant's controlled board unilaterally acted, without a recall election as is required, without authority from the state's regulator, without a court order, to oust me from the directorship owners elected me to fill. Litigation is ongoing. Read more here.
-
Virtual only board meetings: Owners should not be locked out of their governance meetings. In-person engagement and transparency must be restored. Read more here.
-
Poor communication. SHCA’s website is not user-friendly or relevant. Rumors fill the gaps. Ever tried finding a director's email address to write directly? Owners deserve more than "your 3-minutes" at a Zoom call.
-
Secret Deliberations: The board continues to refuse in-person meetings using virtual only, uses "workshops", hides behind executive sessions, and avoids accountability.
Financial Stewardship
-
Assessments: They should be lower, while delivering better services.
-
Public Park Costs & Liability: SHCA’s ownership and operation of “public” parks imposes liability and costs that should not fall on owners. This should end. Read why here. SHCA pays twice- once in assessment and then in property taxes.
-
Managment Fees: $1.9M Management Fees alone (plus a simialr anount for your sub association that collectivly manage much larger operating expenses) is excessive-even for a premire community.
-
Nearly 30 cents of every dollar owners pay goes to administration.
-
That is 2-3x the industry average of 10-15% and a simialr 2-3x what local goverments, notorious for inefficiency and waste, cost taxpayers.
-
-
Legal Fees: Why do we pay an attorney with huge hourly fee to sit in on board meetings?
-
Social Events: Our HOA budgets almost $200,000/year. Directors should using assessements for discretionary social-programming or lifestyle events. We should not be funding developer marketing. CC&Rs Don’t Create Unlimited Taxation Authority.
Owners’ Rights and Free Speech
-
Free speech under attack. This is not just an national issue. HOA owners should not fear SLAPP suits for speaking up- as I was. Owners must stadn together even if we have differing policy positions. Read about my personal SLAPP nightmare here.
-
Retaliation against opposition and/or candidates. Homeowners should not face lawsuits simply for running for the board (as I have), when seeking interpretations of the law, or speaking out.
-
Privacy Concerns: Owners’ online presence, backgrounds, and even personal relationships are being investigated and reported to the Board. This culture of surveillance chills participation.
Political and Legislative Advocacy
We in effect a small city of over 20,000 residents. We need to use our community’s significant political voice to engage with local elected officials on development issues and legislation adverse to HOA owners. When owners lack a real voice, proposals advanced by special interests win.
-
HOA Reform: The lack of regulatory oversight for homeowner associations is a serious problem. Read more here
-
Private Sewers: Many in SHCA have private legacy sewers built by the developer and now owned by homeowners. It was a huge policy mistake many now must live with and shoulder the cost and liability. It needs to be corrected. Read more here
-
Security and Public Safety: Funding for police and fire coverage remain inadequate in Southwest Las Vegas - having a direct impact on safety and home values. Clark County’s failure to adjust PFNA fees on developers has left homeowners to fill the gap,
-
Turf conversion mandate. Lets not let this happen again. It has cost HOA unnecessary millions, advanced so Las Vegas could keep growing. Program water savings are not being materialized- and likey known they would not. Read ProPublica’s report.
-
Excessive water usage charges. LVVWD’s charges could be rolled back by the County Commission. Instead, they expand government’s tax base at owner expense.
-
Public infrastructure underfunded. Commissioners allow high-density development without adequate police, fire, or parks. See Nevada Current’s coverage.
-
Broken promises. The County and Olympia have failed to deliver the amenities originally promised for the Sports Park. See News3’s story.
Read more on the key issues affecting SHCA and my plan to improve here
More Owner Information
I am the founder of Nevada HOA Reform Coalition- NvHOAreform.com. Check it out
Nevada Supreme Court Ignores the Law on HOA Disputes—Become Policy Makers In Robes (NVHOAReform blog)
My 2023 SHCA board application
4 risks for homeowners in developer-controlled HOA communities (IAC article)
My 2023 open letter to owners- Board in Crisis
Who's running your HOA? (a Nevada Current article)
My responses to Olympia's letters to homeowners:
2021 letter
2020 letter
Owner voting rights - why so personally important?
HOA regulation in Nevada ineffectual (a Nevada Current article)
Despite my landmark Nevada Supreme Court ruling defeating Olympia's attack on free speech, HOA owners speaking out remain at peril- this needs to change
* Staying informed of governance issues, particularly in an HOA, is difficult. This is not lost on those who wish to take advantage. It is one reason I constructed this site. I seek an exchange of ideas and your feedback. Importantly, this site seeks to inform not just SHCA owners, but all Nevada HOA owners.
I am not an attorney. My comments and those made by others in the links provided on this web site should not be considered legal advice. They are my opinions developed from researching and fighting for SHCA owners and Nevada HOA owner rights for years or are the opinions of the authors noted. They are not the collective position of the SHCA Board, nor that of its developer, Olympia Companies. All court filings appearing on this website are public record and intended to make it easy for readers to obtain legitimate information.
If you find an error(s) of fact in anything on this website please let me know so it can be corrected. If you wish to provide opposing views, whether to be published here or otherwise, I'd like to hear from you. I can be contact using the form at the end of this page.
** From the Restatement (Third) of Property (Servitudes) § 6.19 (2000)
Last updated 10/14/25
My Pledge To You
My pledge to Southern Highland homeowners is to work hard to preserve our quality community and our rights as HOA owners. I will demand the SHCA Board be fully transparent, insist on strict controls of costs, maintain a high quality community, work on our community's "big picture" issues, while truly listening to and always placing owner’s interests first.
Be assured I have no ulterior motives in serving on the Board. I am not looking for community exposure to further a business and/or career ambitions. I am happily retired from any and all business pursuits.
Our democracy and governance systems are rooted in the concept those governing are freely, fairly, and collectively elected. The US Constitution was to create a legitimate, trustworthy government, one that would counteract human nature to be selfish and controlling of others, by creating checks and balances. Those checks and balances don't exist in HOAs. Thus, if Southern Highlands it is to work as advertised it requires your participation in our Board election. Developer appointments must end. Owners must have trust in each and every director.
I will always be mindful of the special trust and fiduciary duty of the position. I will work to end any fear owners may have regarding retaliation by our Board or others for making appropriate comments- even vociferous criticism of SHCA governance.
Decisions made must work to improve the community as a whole, not just a select few.
I hope my experience, character traits, knowledge, and priorities for our community going forward is deserving of your confidence.
Ballots for the last election were due NLT 8:00 am Friday March 14, 2025.