Rising HOA fees in Las Vegas for 2026 are the predictable result of increased insurance costs, higher labor and utility expenses, and years of underfunded reserves. Cost increases will impact virtually all HOAs in Nevada, including major master-planned communities like Summerlin.

Rising HOA Fees Are Not Random

Rising HOA fees in Las Vegas are driven by property and liability insurance premiums that jumped up, vendors who raise prices due to inflation and shortages of workers and personnel, the implementation of newly passed Nevada State legislation, and increased costs for utilities and common-area maintenance.

These costs are piling on top of consistent issues like aging roofs, pavement, retaining walls, swimming pools, water abated landscaping, and mechanical systems that might have been considered for reserves years ago but may not have been adequately funded. ​

While larger, master-planned communities attract media attention for these issues, smaller condominiums and townhome associations throughout the valley are in the same situation. And, given homes in smaller communities bear a larger percentage of any costs, these increases hit all that much harder.

Hopefully, you’ll find this article has practical information to help HOA boards, developers who are transitioning control of projects, and community managers handling daily responsibilities.

Summerlin: A Case Study

Summerlin’s 2026 HOA fee increases offer clear evidence of what many Las Vegas associations are experiencing. Effective January 1, 2026, Summerlin’s boards approved monthly increases as follows:

• Summerlin North: $74
• Summerlin South: $76
• Summerlin West: $69

 

The Summerlin Council portion increased by $7 to $37.

This pattern is predictably consistent across Vegas Valley. The same things driving Summerlin’s incremental rises will hit other HOAs:

• Insurance premiums
• Utility and park maintenance costs
• Long-term reserve funding needs

 

Far from being an exception, Summerlin is a bellwether. Many Las Vegas communities, especially those with significant common areas, should expect similar pressures on their 2026 and 2027 budgets.

A Real Problem: Underfunded Reserves

A primary question every HOA board should be asking as we head into 2026 is: “Are we properly funded?”

Many conflicts about HOA fees do not stem from mismanagement, but from:

• Outdated reserve studies
• Unrealistic replacement cost assumptions
• Deferred maintenance compounding over time

 

A Real-World Example: Litigation and The Hillside Wall

This is a real-life example and cautionary lesson from a matter in which Isaacson Law has provided guidance.

A condominium community sat below a hillside and relied upon a retaining wall. The original reserve study projected a replacement value at around $8,000. Due to underlying construction concerns, what would have been simple maintenance ended up as a need for complete replacement. As water continued to flow and deteriorate the wall, it deteriorated to the point where replacement was the only option. When the unavoidable wall was hit, pardon the pun, the actual replacement cost came in at over $1.1 million. The association had to take out a long-term loan to fund repairs. Can you imagine the fallout from the special assessments?

Underestimating the costs to replace infrastructure in reserve studies and repeated delays in making them create sudden and dire financial crises for associations and owners alike.

Nevada Law Stipulates Requirements of Boards

Nevada law clearly spells out statutory obligations for HOAs. These are not advisories or optional “best practices.”

NRS 116.31083: HOA boards must review the association’s financial statements at least quarterly and include a current reconciliation of the operating and reserve accounts. This must include open meetings with proper notifications to unit owners. Directors are expected to actively engage with financial reports, not simply rubberstamp budgets prepared by others.

NRS 116.31152 sets: Specifically requires associations to do a new reserve study at least every five years. The study must be submitted to the Nevada Real Estate Division, and boards must review the reserve study annually to determine whether the current level of HOA reserve funding in Nevada is sufficient. These are affirmative duties. Boards cannot simply let an old study endlessly sit in a binder and proceed as if nothing has changed in construction costs, component conditions, or regulatory expectations.

Reserve Assessments vs. Special Assessments

There is clear distinction between “HOA reserve assessments” and “HOA special assessments” in Nevada. It is critical to manage these for both legal compliance and homeowner relations.

A reserve assessment can be adopted as part of the regular budget and tied directly to funding components identified in the reserve study. HOA boards typically implement reserve assessments without a separate homeowner vote as long as they follow the budget and notice procedures established in NRS 116.3115. Because these are grounded in the reserve study, these assessments are viewed as part of prudent long-term planning rather than emergency measures.

Special assessments in Nevada are most often imposed to cover unanticipated expenses or major projects that exceeded what reserves and regular assessments could handle. They might fall into categories like emergency needs, the addition of a new community amenities, or unforeseen budgetary shortfalls. While special assessments may be legally permissible under the governing documents and statutes, “surprise” special assessments almost always trigger intense homeowner backlashes.

Avoiding “Surprise” Assessments

The bottom line for HOAs is to avoid surprising owners or face the real risk of backlash. Even when legally permissible, anything perceived as a surprise assessment will provoke heated negative responses.

Assessments are where proactive planning matters most. Put on the “public relations awareness” hat and plan out how to clearly communicate what the situation is, how it came to be, what options for cure were considered, and why the proposed assessment is the best course of action. Set things in motion as well in advance as possible. People handle the certainty of misery better than they handle the misery of uncertainty, especially when well communicated to in advance.

Rising Homeowner Pushback and Transparency Expectations

Economic pressures on homeowners today flood in from many different sources. One of the few where they feel some sense of control is over their HOA. Accordingly, homeowner activism is rising in Las Vegas, and especially over the increase in HOA fees. Recent disputes have happened where owners organized to reject or force reductions in proposed budget increases and where residents demanded highly detailed breakdowns of where monies were being applied before accepting any changes. Homeowners are using petitions, media coverage, and social platforms to pressure boards.

Some of the pushback centers on perceived mismatches between deteriorating amenities or delayed projects and the increasing assessments.

Boards that have transparent communication about HOA insurance cost increases, reserve projects, and statutory duties are better able to handle the risk of homeowner dissatisfaction. Explaining the “why” and “how” behind rising HOA fees helps defuse conflicts before they start and shows that directors are honoring their HOA board duties.

Best Board Practices Heading Into 2026

Heading into 2026, boards and community managers should make several concrete, action-oriented steps:

• Review reserve studies early. Do not wait until budget season. Confirm when the last NRS 116.31152 study was completed, identify whether a new one is due, and schedule proactively it.
• Validate assumptions with current market data. Ask reserve preparers how they are adjusting for current rise in construction and materials costs, and cross-check large components like roofs, walls, and mechanical systems with recent bids or vendor estimates.
• Consider finance and reserve committees. Specialized committees can help analyze reserve funding scenarios, prioritize projects, and report to the board with clear recommendations.
• Communicate early and clearly. When facing rising HOA fees, explain the link between reserve study findings, HOA insurance cost increases, and specific upcoming projects rather than announcing a percentage increase without anchoring it to real context.
• Involve legal counsel at points of inflection. Bring in HOA legal counsel before implementing HOA special assessments, amending collection policies, or responding to organized homeowner opposition. Gain confidence in meeting Nevada HOA compliance, minimizing fee-shifting, and avoiding risk of litigation.

These practices reinforce the board’s fiduciary posture and create demonstrable records that directors exercise informed, good-faith business judgment.

Rising Fees Are Unavoidable; Surprises Are Not

Rising HOA fees in Las Vegas will continue upward into and well beyond 2026. Uncontrollable macroeconomic conditions drive the situation: the valley’s aging infrastructure, water scarcity, and unpredictable pressures on housing. The thing separating stable communities from those in crisis is not whether fees rise, but whether boards get ahead of them with

• Prior planning
• Accurate reserve studies
• Full statutory compliance

 

When that happens, a lot of misfortune is entirely preventable.

Boards, managers, and developers who engage legal professionals better handle rising costs, fulfillment of their HOA board fiduciary duties in Nevada, and avoid the kind of surprise assessments that damage both finances and reputations.

Review your reserve planning, assessment options, or Nevada HOA compliance before 2026 budgets are finalized by contacting Isaacson Law’s HOA legal services. Get tailored guidance and clear paths forward.