From the Board

Building a Better Somersett...

Part of building a better Somersett

means improving our finances, stabilizing our assets and amenities, bringing the community together, and creating a welcoming environment for our residents. Those endeavors saw huge success over the past year and efforts are ongoing for continuous improvement. Yet when it comes to building a better Somersett, this is the easy part.

What really makes Somersett the premier master-planned community in Northern Nevada are our residents. Regardless of diverse demographics, I am pleasantly surprised at the intellect and kindness of our residents which create a friendly and welcoming environment. That feeling is present now more than ever.

Good intentions require forethought. Everyone wants to be a good person but practicing that requires a constant reminder of the things you do that affect your neighbors whose needs and interests may be different than yours. So too does the notion of what is acceptable and what is not.

Eventually, some homeowners will dislike their HOA, even though they purchased and benefit from a community where their HOA ensures uniformity and higher standards for aesthetics and behavior. That benefits us all but only if it’s executed and administered with care and respect, which is a high priority for the SOA.

A quick success story: A while back, some actions of a not-too-distant neighbor were disruptive late at night. My first reaction was anger: how inconsiderate of them! Yet I jettisoned the anger and resorted to reason. After locating the owners, I sent them a polite message requesting they consider some changes to that activity. To my surprise they apologized and promised to alter that activity and gave me their phone number so that if I was ever bothered again, I could call them right away. They turned out to be kind and reasonable people for whom I now have great respect. They never realized their activity would ever be a problem to anyone and were quick to offer a solution once they became aware. Yet the key to this success was polite, direct, and civil communication.

To the good people living in Somersett, thank you for contributing to this amazing culture we have grown and nurtured in this community. Truly you are our greatest resource.

Please consider how your neighbors might be affected when you embark on a project or adventure that might impact them. That might be lighting, noise, viewsheds, unattended landscaping, unapproved structures, or pushing the parking rules. Got an event coming up? Construction traffic? Changes that affect them? Give your neighbors a heads-up in advance and you will probably find this defuses many issues since most people want to be accommodating. Sooner or later, you will receive reciprocal kindness from them because the fruits of polite neighbors benefit all.

Also, work with the SOA when you need architectural approval, we’re here to help you design and build something that will protect everyone’s interest, including yours!

A quick word about rules and enforcement (yes, it is what people dislike the most about HOAs.) In Nevada, HOAs are heavily regulated and homeowner rights and privacy provisions are strictly upheld by the law. The SOA investigates every complaint received and conducts required compliance checks. If a problem emerges, it might seem like nothing is done when in fact we are pursuing all legally available enforcement activities. Sometimes it takes multiple efforts to achieve results, a process that isn’t always quick. The challenge is that privacy laws mean that the Association can’t discuss any actions taken, or fines levied. Nevertheless, you can be assured that we investigate all violations and follow up until the violation is remedied.

Thank you for your consideration. This gentle reminder is submitted on behalf of the SOA, Staff, Management, and your Board.

Onward together!