Residents Mount Challenge After HOA Tries To Increase Fees By 78 Percent

Residents of a Las Vegas condominium community have successfully pushed back against a massive fee increase proposed by their homeowners association, after weeks of organizing and raising concerns about transparency and affordability.

The Richmond Park HOA, which oversees the Bavington Court condominiums and is managed by Level Community Management, announced earlier this year that monthly dues would increase by 78 percent. Starting in January, dues were set to rise from $275 to $490 per month — a jump that left many residents, especially seniors and low-income families, feeling alarmed and overwhelmed.

The proposed increase sparked frustration throughout the community, which includes a large number of elderly residents and people living on fixed incomes. For them, the added cost could have meant the difference between staying in their homes or losing them entirely. But instead of backing down, neighbors came together, citing a little-known Nevada law that allows HOA budgets to be overturned by a majority petition.

According to state rules, if more than half of homeowners in a community sign a petition rejecting an HOA’s proposed budget, the increase can be blocked. In the case of Richmond Park, that meant 137 signatures were needed. The residents exceeded that goal, gathering 151 signatures in total.

As a result, the original $275 monthly dues will remain in place for now, with only a smaller $22.50 increase to be voted on. The proposed hike to nearly $500 per month has officially been rejected.

The victory came as a huge relief to many, including 73-year-old resident Denise Holden, who lives on a fixed income of just over $1,200 a month and has survived two strokes. “More than a relief, it’s fantastic,” she told 8 News Now. “I thought I was going to lose my home and everything else.”

Holden and others also voiced concerns about how the HOA has been managing the community. They questioned the need for such a large increase given what they described as poor conditions and a lack of visible maintenance. Holden said the neighborhood looked more like a “junkyard,” with only $11,000 reportedly left in community reserves. “Where is our money?” she asked.