HOA Board Removal Called Historic | News

NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- The State of Nevada is calling the entire removal of an HOA board an historic move.

The three-member board was over the homeowners association at the Autumn Chase neighborhood near Craig Road and Simmons Street in North Las Vegas.

The board was removed Tuesday after the Nevada Commission for Common-Interest Communities found they committed hundreds of violations of state law.

Joe Bitsky was one of the board members who was removed. He is a familiar face to the people who live in the 46-home community. YouTube video, recorded by a homeowner, shows one of many confrontations he had with the HOA president and other board members.

8 News NOW caught up with Bitsky Wednesday. He refused to talk on camera but he denied the claims. According to the state, Bitsky violated rules by spending HOA money for personal use, blocking homeowners from leaving his house during a meeting and failing to conduct board elections.

Sharon Jackson works with the state's real estate division and handles HOA cases like this says there is a place for people to report problems with their homeowners associations.

"Not being fair and violating the laws of HOAs will not be tolerated in the state. This is a historic case where we removed the board members," Jackson said. "We want to provide a venue for those homeowners who don't feel like they are being treated appropriately to come and file a complaint and that complaint be reviewed.'

HOAs are supposed to help homeowners, not create chaos, Jackson said.

State Senator Mike Schneider has been vocal when it comes to holding HOAs like this accountable for their actions.

"It does my heart good to see them finally taking a hammer to some of these boards," Schneider said. "The commission did the right thing, removing these people. They have been there so long and using the dues as their own personal kitty to pay their expenses."

The Autumn Chase HOA runs a $9,000 budget a year. Bitsky says HOA fees are $16 a month. After this week's ruling, he and his other two board members are not allowed to serve on any HOA board in the State of Nevada, and all HOA credit cards were surrendered to the state.