Selective Enforcement: The Story of Steve, Peanut, and a Power-Hungry HOA President

Every neighborhood has rules. And most homeowners follow them without issue.But what happens when those rules are twisted, manipulated, or weaponized by the very people entrusted to enforce them?

This is the story of Steve, his quiet life in a Nevada HOA community, and Perry, a board president who simply couldn’t let Steve win.

The Dog Rule That Went Too Far

Steve lived peacefully with his senior terrier, Peanut, a gentle old dog who spent most of his time curled up on a couch cushion. Life was simple—until the HOA Board proposed a brand-new rule:

All pets must be on leash at all times, even inside fenced backyards.

Steve had lived under many HOA rules before, but this one crossed the line. It was impractical, unreasonable, and seemed suspiciously targeted. So Steve did what any responsible homeowner would do:he asked questions. He requested clarification.He asked for the legal authority behind the rule.And when no reasonable explanation came, he challenged it.

The HOA obtained a legal opinion—and the verdict was unmistakable:

The rule was invalid. Steve was right.

Peanut could nap in peace once more.

But Steve’s victory triggered something in Perry—the HOA president who had pushed the rule in the first place. And that’s when things took a dark turn.

The Retaliation Begins

The Storm-Damaged Light

One windy night, a storm tore through the neighborhood.By morning, Steve noticed that his address light had blown off the wall. He planned to reinstall it later that day.

He didn’t get the chance.

Before lunchtime, the management company emailed him:

Violation Notice: Home in Disrepair – Missing Address Light

Same day.Same storm that damaged half the neighborhood.Yet Steve was the only homeowner cited. It was the opening shot in what would become a personal war.

Trash Day Becomes a Trap

On Monday morning, Steve set his trash cans out before heading to work.Pickup came and went as usual. But after a long string of meetings—and a Monday Night Football gathering with friends—Steve didn’t get home until after 11 p.m. The trash cans were still out, sitting where the waste truck left them.

The next morning:

Violation Notice: Trash Cans Left Out Too Long

The neighbors?They routinely left cans out until the next day.Some left them out for two.

Yet somehow, Steve was public enemy number one.

The Greenbelt Incident—Perry Goes Too Far

Most HOAs have a greenbelt—a strip of common area behind homes where kids play and families walk dogs.But in Steve’s case, the greenbelt became Perry’s personal surveillance outpost. Neighbors noticed him back there, pacing near the fence line, holding his phone at chest level and pointing it toward Steve’s backyard. He took pictures.Of Steve’s yard.Of Steve’s children.Of their friends.Even of Peanut sunbathing in the grass.

Then he sent those photos to the management company and demanded enforcement for:

“Excessive noise.”

There had been no party.No loud speakers.Just a handful of kids laughing on a weekend afternoon.

The violations kept coming—each more petty than the last. Steve wasn’t dealing with an HOA anymore. He was dealing with a vendetta.

Nevada Law: What Perry and the HOA May Have Violated

1. Retaliation Prohibited – NRS 116.31183

Nevada law explicitly forbids an HOA, its board, its employees, or its manager from taking retaliatory action against a homeowner for:

• Exercising their rights

• Complaining

• Challenging a rule

• Participating in any hearing or proceeding

Perry’s rapid-fire violations after Steve’s successful challenge to the leash rule are classic signs of retaliation.

2. Harassment & Hostile Conduct – NRS 116.31184

This law makes it unlawful for a board member or manager to:

• Harass

• Threaten

• Intimidate

• Or engage in a course of conduct that causes distress

  
  

Perry lurking behind Steve’s home, photographing his children, and weaponizing those photos for violations could fit this definition—and may even constitute a misdemeanor.

3. Uniform Rule Enforcement Required – NRS 116.31065

Rules must be:

• Reasonable

• Clear

• Applied equally to all homeowners

If rules are enforced only against Steve (storm damage, trash cans, backyard noise), they are not legally enforceable under this statute.

Selective enforcement = unlawful enforcement.

4. Due Process Before Fines – NRS 116.31031

Before issuing fines or sanctions, the HOA must:

• Provide proper written notice

• Offer an opportunity for a hearing

• Follow written enforcement policies

Rapid, retaliatory notices with no hearing process fail this requirement.

5. Board Members Must Act in Good Faith – NRS 116.3103

Board members in Nevada are fiduciaries.They must act:

• In good faith

• With reasonable care

• In the best interests of the community, not personal grudges

  
  

Perry’s behavior was the opposite of good-faith governance.

6. Pet Rights in Nevada – NRS 116.318

Homeowners have the right to keep at least one pet.Associations may adopt reasonable rules—but not arbitrary, targeted, or unenforceable ones.

The leash rule that targeted Peanut—and was later deemed invalid—likely violated this statute’s intended protections.

Your Rights Matter — Stop Terrible HOAs in Their Tracks

If you’ve faced HOA behavior like Steve experienced—harassment, retaliation, selective enforcement, intimidation, or rule abuse—Nevada law may be on your side.

You may have rights to:

• Challenge illegal violations

• Stop retaliatory enforcement

• File complaints with the Nevada Real Estate Division

• Seek recovery or damages

• Hold abusive board members accountable

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Don’t let a Terrible HOA control your life.

If you’ve suffered treatment like Steve, you may have rights to recovery.

Stand up. Push back. And stop Terrible HOAs in their tracks.