HENDERSON (KTNV) — Do you have an extra $16,000 just lying around? Well, I bet most people don't, including the residents at Renaissance Townhomes in Henderson.
They're being told they may have to pay that and more to fix their community's failing water system.
I looked into these issues to find out more about what the residents are dealing with.
From the outside, this gated community looks great.
“We like the place. It’s fine, it’s quiet, it’s a good neighborhood," said five-year Renaissance Townhomes resident Lance Oslund.
“I do love my community," said Debbie Grim, who moved to the community eight years ago with her husband.
But Grim tells me, when you take a closer look, the water system has been a nightmare to deal with.
“Well, my happy place isn’t quite as happy," she said. “The first year I moved in, I stepped out and there was a fountain shooting in the air.”
Grim sent me several pictures from outside her home eight years ago. She says there was practically a sinkhole gushing out water right in front of her driveway.
She tells me she almost drove into it.
Oslund says he's also seeing several issues with his home due to the failing water system, which is causing massive leaks below the surface of this community.
“Five years ago, this was not like this," he said. “It’s sinking down in here somewhere.”
So what is being done about this?
Fixing this water system is going to cost them a lot.
Despite residents saying there have been several temporary fixes through the years to the water system, residents received a notice from the HOA board, saying that replacing the remaining 73 lateral waterlines would cost $1,367,168.
According to the letter, this is a plumbing quote the HOA board received on the cost of this project.
The letter states that during an HOA meeting on February 17, a group of homeowners instructed the board to obtain a quote.
Residents tell me the HOA does not have enough money to cover the cost of the project, so the residents have to.
I reached out to Colonial Property Management, which manages the HOA board, via email and over the phone regarding the property. They declined to comment.
Residents tell me that since the letter was given to residents, all members of the HOA board plan to step down during its next meeting on April 17. A new board will have to be elected.
The letter had the date of March 28, but it's still unclear if the new board will honor this quote, if they will search for a new one, or if anything will change regarding the proposed payment.
Here's the breakdown according to the letter sent to residents from the HOA board:
- The total cost per homeowner will be $16,879 in the form of a special assessment.
- This would have to be paid in four installments at $4,220 each.
- It states there will be a several-month period for people to plan out their finances, but all payments will have to be made within a four-month time period in order to schedule the project and complete it.
Once again, according to the letter this would only go into effect if the proposal is passed by a majority vote.
This is the only solution on the table, according to the letter and several residents.
On top of this payment, residents also have to pay a monthly $450 HOA fee. Oslund tells me that the fee has been raised by $200 since he moved to the community five years ago.
Can the residents afford this?
Oslund and Grim tell me landscaping has deteriorated, houses have not been painted, and other repairs have not been made, despite the fees increasing, saying most of the increases have gone to build up the reserve fund and cover temporary water system fixes.
I asked Grim if she's able to afford all of these payments.
“I’m certainly not, I was looking into a HELOC, which is basically telling me that I’m going to be working until I’m 85," she said.
Grim says most of the residents there are seniors.
“We have people who are disabled. We have people who this is their home for the last 30 years and they were counting on living here," she said.
If any of these issues sound like deja vu, well, you're not wrong.
We brought you dozens of stories regarding another community in Henderson, Somerset Park.
There, residents faced the threat of losing their homes due to a failing water distribution system, which caused massive leaks and sinkholes.
The City of Henderson stepped in and helped fix the water system at a lower cost than the HOA board projected. The homeowners are expected to start the repayment portion soon as a tax lien will be placed on each property July 1.
I followed the issue in Somerset Park closely. Here's a piece of that ongoing coverage.
Renaissance Townhomes is approximately six miles away from Somerset Park.
Since the city helped this community, I asked them about Renaissance Townhomes.
The city sent me this statement in response:
"We understand how upsetting this situation must be for the residents of the Renaissance community, and we want the best possible outcome for them.
"The City has limitations when it comes to intervening in matters related to private infrastructure. Both the municipal code and Nevada Revised Statutes allow the City to step in only in specific life-threatening circumstances, such as those seen in the Somerset community, where residents were at risk of displacement and obvious life-threatening hazards were present.
"We strongly encourage residents to work closely with their elected board of directors, legal counsel, and the Nevada Real Estate Division to explore all available options for addressing the failing system. The City will continue to assist residents to the best of its ability and within the bounds of the law."
What about at the state level?
Right now, during the 2025 legislative session, the city and state senator Carrie Ann Buck are both pushing for separate bills to help future communities going through similar issues.
AB10 is the City of Henderson bill, which is aimed at giving local municipalities the ability to step in, lowering the requirement to help private communities repair their private water or sewer systems. This is expected to make it easier for them to step in.
Senator Buck is backing SB 339, SB 221 and SB 222. The senator tells me these bills would help provide more rights to homeowners who live and contribute to HOAs.
She also tells me it would provide more oversight and accountability over the Nevada Real Estate Division. This division is responsible for regulatory oversight and enforcement of laws governing real estate licensees, homeowner's associations, their boards and related constituents.
The senator tells me she doesn't believe even if these are passed, it will help Renaissance Townhomes at this time since they are still being reviewed, or still waiting to be heard by the state legislature.
So what can the residents do next?
Grim said she just wants help.
“Everybody in here is hardworking, and we’ve tried to do the right things all of our lives and we’re asking for some support," she said.
We will continue to follow up on all elements of the story, digging deeper into the water system issues, proposed bills and how to help these residents.
