SNWA offers cash rebate for smart irrigation

Before we get into our Q&A, today, I wanted to talk about the cash rebates Southern Nevada Water Authority is offering. The rebate is on the purchase of smart irrigation controllers, which use sensors and water data to automatically adjust your irrigation system run times and the amount of water that your landscaping needs.

SNWA rebate offers 50 percent off the purchase of a new smart controller or up to $100, whichever is less. For more information visit snwa.com.

Also, a bit on landscaping:

■ From May 1 through Aug. 31, regulations prohibit the spraying of irrigation between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Don’t forget Sunday watering is also prohibited.

■ Grass should be watered no more than 12 minutes total per watering day. Run sprinklers three times a day for four minutes each cycle and spaced one hour apart.

■ Plants and trees require less water than grass. You should set your drip systems to two or three days a week.

And, finally, a few words about Lake Mead.

Yes, we were lucky to have more rain and snow, but our water crisis has not diminished. I can remember when Lake Mead had to use the overflows because there was too much water.

Keep an eye on the Nevada Legislature as a proposed bill, if passed, would allow the SNWA to take more action to reduce the water usage in your common areas in your communities.

Q: I read a previous HOA article you wrote. I’m hoping you could help answer an HOA security question. We reside in Oregon but recently bought a condo in Henderson for our daughter to have a safe place to live while attending UNLV. We own our home in Oregon and are a bit unfamiliar with all of the guidelines of an HOA.

Can a security guard refuse entry to a legal owner/resident who has forgotten their identification? Our 19-year-old daughter forgot her ID, and upon returning to the complex, the security guard refused her entry and also refused to call anyone on the phone list for her/our unit.

Furthermore, he told her that anyone who wants to verify her, must do so in person, but we live in Oregon. So, he created a situation where a legal resident who forgot her ID was denied entry and no way to rectify the situation easily. Is that legal?

A: NRS 116.2111 (2a) states that an association may not unreasonably restrict, prohibit or otherwise impede the lawful rights of a unit’s owner to have reasonable access to his or her unit. Note that the law states may not unreasonably restrict. You note that you selected this community to provide a “safe place” to live while your daughter is attending UNLV. One of the association’s regulations is to require the showing of identification as part of their safety and security program.

Understanding that anyone can state that they are a resident of the community, there are ways that the security officer could have confirmed her residency by contacting those individuals on her call list. The association develops procedures for the security company as part of their post orders.

The association could develop additional means of verifying the identity of a resident. For example, after calling the individual on the call list, if they are unable to be physically present, they could send the ID to the security officer by fax or by email, etc.

You should address this issue with the board and with their management company to have the association review its identification policy to allow options for entrance when one does not have their identification with them. There is a balance between security and unreasonably restricting entrance to your unit.

Q: First of all, thanks for all of your (newspaper columns). You are clearly very experienced with Nevada homeowners associations. I just have a practical question on the sealed bid process.

I’m sure you’re aware of this, but in Las Vegas and Henderson there are very few guard gate manufacturers and installers that can handle high-end work, and they appear to work together to help each other complete different parts of the installing and manufacturing (process).

If we have one of these companies performing our maintenance at present, and they have a good track record of being reliable, and will continue to maintain the new gates, new hardware and new software, what are the requirements for putting out a request for proposal for sealed bids?

A: Under Nevada Revised Statute 116.31086, if an association solicits bids for a project, it must, whenever reasonably possible, solicit at least three bids if the expected cost for a community with fewer than 1,000 units, is 3 percent or more of the annual budget. For associations over 1,000 units, the cost would be 1 percent or more of the annual budget.

Please note that the law starts with the word, “if.” In your case if the association is confident the current vendor has provided the association with reliable and professional service, the association would not have to obtain bids.

Barbara Holland, CPM is an author, educator, expert witness on real estate issues pertaining to management and brokerage. Questions may be sent to holland744o@gmail.com