NRS 107.086 - Additional requirements for sale of owner-occupied housing: Notice; form; petition for mediation; election to waive mediation; adoption of rules concerning mediation; applicability. [Effective through June 30, 2021.]

NV Rev Stat § 107.086 (2019) (N/A)
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1. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection and subsection 4 of NRS 107.0865, in addition to the requirements of NRS 107.085, the exercise of the power of sale pursuant to NRS 107.080 with respect to any deed of trust which concerns owner-occupied housing is subject to the provisions of this section. The provisions of this section do not apply to the exercise of the power of sale if the notice of default and election to sell recorded pursuant to subsection 2 of NRS 107.080 includes an affidavit and a certification indicating that, pursuant to NRS 107.130, an election has been made to use the expedited procedure for the exercise of the power of sale with respect to abandoned residential property.

2. The trustee shall not exercise a power of sale pursuant to NRS 107.080 unless the trustee:

(a) Includes with the notice of default and election to sell which is mailed, or delivered by electronic transmission if authorized by the parties, to the grantor or the person who holds the title of record as required by subsection 3 of NRS 107.080:

(1) Contact information which the grantor or the person who holds the title of record may use to reach a person with authority to negotiate a loan modification on behalf of the beneficiary of the deed of trust;

(2) Contact information which the grantor or the person who holds the title of record may use to serve notice as required pursuant to subsection 3 if the grantor or person who holds the title does not elect to waive mediation;

(3) Contact information for at least one local housing counseling agency approved by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development;

(4) A notice provided by Home Means Nevada, Inc., or its successor organization, indicating that the grantor or the person who holds the title of record may petition the district court to participate in mediation pursuant to this section if he or she files such a petition, pays a $25 filing fee, serves a copy of the petition upon the beneficiary of the deed, Home Means Nevada, Inc., or its successor organization, and the trustee by certified mail, return receipt requested or, if authorized by the parties, by electronic transmission, and pays to the district court his or her share of the fee established pursuant to subsection 12; and

(5) A form upon which the grantor or the person who holds the title of record may indicate an election to waive mediation pursuant to this section and one envelope addressed to the trustee and one envelope addressed to Home Means Nevada, Inc., or its successor organization, which the grantor or the person who holds the title of record may use to comply with the provisions of subsection 3;

(b) In addition to including the information described in paragraph (a) with the notice of default and election to sell which is mailed or delivered by electronic transmission, as applicable, to the grantor or the person who holds the title of record as required by subsection 3 of NRS 107.080, provides to the grantor or the person who holds the title of record the information described in paragraph (a) concurrently with, but separately from, the notice of default and election to sell which is mailed or delivered by electronic transmission, as applicable, to the grantor or the person who holds the title of record as required by subsection 3 of NRS 107.080;

(c) Serves a copy of the notice upon Home Means Nevada, Inc., or its successor organization;

(d) If the owner-occupied housing is located within a common-interest community, notifies the unit-owners’ association of the common-interest community, not later than 10 days after mailing or delivering by electronic transmission, as applicable, the copy of the notice of default and election to sell as required by subsection 3 of NRS 107.080, that the exercise of the power of sale is subject to the provisions of this section; and

(e) Causes to be recorded in the office of the recorder of the county in which the trust property, or some part thereof, is situated:

(1) The certificate provided to the trustee by Home Means Nevada, Inc., or its successor organization, pursuant to subsection 4 or 7 which provides that no mediation is required in the matter; or

(2) The certificate provided to the trustee by Home Means Nevada, Inc., or its successor organization, pursuant to subsection 8 which provides that mediation has been completed in the matter.

3. If the grantor or the person who holds the title of record elects to waive mediation, he or she shall, not later than 30 days after service of the notice in the manner required by NRS 107.080, complete the form required by subparagraph (5) of paragraph (a) of subsection 2 and return the form to the trustee and Home Means Nevada, Inc., or its successor organization, by certified mail, return receipt requested or, if authorized by the parties, by electronic transmission. If the grantor or the person who holds the title of record does not elect to waive mediation, he or she shall, not later than 30 days after the service of the notice in the manner required by NRS 107.080, petition the district court to participate in mediation pursuant to this section, at the time of filing such a petition, pay to the clerk of the court a fee of $25 and his or her share of the fee established pursuant to subsection 12. The grantor or the person who holds the title of record shall serve a copy of the petition, by certified mail, return receipt requested or, if authorized by the parties, by electronic transmission, upon the beneficiary of the deed of trust and Home Means Nevada, Inc., or its successor organization. Upon receipt of the copy of the petition, Home Means Nevada, Inc., or its successor organization, shall notify the trustee and every other person with an interest by certified mail, return receipt requested or, if authorized by the parties, by electronic transmission, of the petition of the grantor or person who holds the title of record to participate in mediation pursuant to this section. Upon receipt of a petition pursuant to this section, the district court shall assign the matter to a senior justice, judge, hearing master or other designee and schedule the matter for mediation. If the grantor or person who holds the title of record satisfies the requirements of this subsection to participate in mediation pursuant to this section, no further action may be taken to exercise the power of sale until the completion of the mediation.

4. If the grantor or the person who holds the title of record indicates on the form described in subparagraph (5) of paragraph (a) of subsection 2 an election to waive mediation, fails to petition the district court pursuant to subsection 3 or fails to pay to the district court his or her share of the fee established pursuant to subsection 12 as required by subsection 3, Home Means Nevada, Inc., or its successor organization, shall, not later than 60 days after Home Means Nevada, Inc., or its successor organization, receives the form indicating an election to waive mediation or 90 days after the service of the notice in the manner required by NRS 107.080, whichever is earlier, provide to the trustee a certificate which provides that no mediation is required in the matter.

5. Each mediation required by this section must be conducted by a senior justice, judge, hearing master or other designee pursuant to the rules adopted pursuant to subsection 12. The beneficiary of the deed of trust or a representative shall attend the mediation. The grantor or his or her representative, or the person who holds the title of record or his or her representative, shall attend the mediation. The beneficiary of the deed of trust shall bring to the mediation the original or a certified copy of the deed of trust, the mortgage note, each assignment of the deed of trust or mortgage note and any documents created in connection with a loan modification. If the beneficiary of the deed of trust is represented at the mediation by another person, that person must have authority to negotiate a loan modification on behalf of the beneficiary of the deed of trust or have access at all times during the mediation to a person with such authority.

6. If the beneficiary of the deed of trust or the representative fails to attend the mediation, fails to participate in the mediation in good faith or does not bring to the mediation each document required by subsection 5 or does not have the authority or access to a person with the authority required by subsection 5, the mediator shall prepare and submit to the district court a recommendation concerning the imposition of sanctions against the beneficiary of the deed of trust or the representative. The court may issue an order imposing such sanctions against the beneficiary of the deed of trust or the representative as the court determines appropriate, including, without limitation, requiring a loan modification in the manner determined proper by the court.

7. If the grantor or the person who holds the title of record is enrolled to participate in mediation pursuant to this section but fails to attend the mediation, the district court shall dismiss the petition. Home Means Nevada, Inc., or its successor organization, shall, not later than 30 days after the scheduled mediation, provide to the trustee a certificate which states that no mediation is required in the matter.

8. If the mediator determines that the parties, while acting in good faith, are not able to agree to a loan modification, the mediator shall prepare and submit to the district court a recommendation that the petition be dismissed. The court may dismiss the petition and if the petition is dismissed, transmit a copy of the order of dismissal to Home Means Nevada, Inc., or its successor organization. Home Means Nevada, Inc., or its successor organization, shall, not later than 30 days after receipt of such an order, provide to the trustee a certificate which provides that the mediation required by this section has been completed in the matter.

9. If the parties agree to a loan modification or settlement, the mediator shall notify the district court. Upon receipt of such notification, the court shall enter an order describing the terms of any loan modification or settlement agreement.

10. Upon receipt of the certificate provided to the trustee by Home Means Nevada, Inc., or its successor organization, pursuant to subsection 4, 7 or 8, if the property is located within a common-interest community, the trustee shall, not later than 10 days after receipt of the certificate, notify the unit-owners’ association of the existence of the certificate.

11. During the pendency of any mediation pursuant to this section, a unit’s owner must continue to pay any obligation, other than any past due obligation.

12. The Supreme Court shall adopt rules necessary to carry out the provisions of this section. The rules must, without limitation, include provisions:

(a) Ensuring that mediations occur in an orderly and timely manner.

(b) Requiring each party to a mediation to provide such information as the mediator determines necessary.

(c) Establishing procedures to protect the mediation process from abuse and to ensure that each party to the mediation acts in good faith.

(d) Establishing a total fee of not more than $500 that may be charged and collected by the district court for mediation services pursuant to this section and providing that the responsibility for payment of the fee must be shared equally by the parties to the mediation. On or before the first Monday of each month, the clerk of the district court shall pay over to the county treasurer an amount equal to $100 of each fee charged and collected pursuant to this paragraph. The county treasurer shall remit quarterly all such amounts turned over to the county treasurer to the State Controller for deposit to the Account for Foreclosure Mediation Assistance created by paragraph (b) of subsection 13 of NRS 107.080.

(e) Prescribing a form supplied by the district court to file a petition to participate in mediation pursuant to this section.

13. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 15, the provisions of this section do not apply if:

(a) The grantor or the person who holds the title of record has surrendered the property, as evidenced by a letter confirming the surrender or delivery of the keys to the property to the trustee, the beneficiary of the deed of trust or the mortgagee, or an authorized agent thereof; or

(b) A petition in bankruptcy has been filed with respect to the grantor or the person who holds the title of record under chapter 7, 11, 12 or 13 of Title 11 of the United States Code and the bankruptcy court has not entered an order closing or dismissing the case or granting relief from a stay of foreclosure.

14. A noncommercial lender is not excluded from the application of this section.

15. Each mediator who acts pursuant to this section in good faith and without gross negligence are immune from civil liability for those acts.

16. Home Means Nevada, Inc., or its successor organization, shall develop and maintain an Internet portal for a program of foreclosure mediation to streamline the process of foreclosure mediation. Home Means Nevada, Inc., or its successor organization shall:

(a) Make available on the Internet portal the option to receive by electronic transmission any notification required as part of the process of foreclosure mediation;

(b) Require authorization in writing from any party who wants to receive notification by electronic transmission; and

(c) Authorize notification by electronic transmission at each stage of the process of foreclosure mediation.

17. Home Means Nevada, Inc., or its successor organization, shall, at least once each calendar year, submit to the Interim Finance Committee:

(a) A report concerning the program of foreclosure mediation and the operational and financial status of Home Means Nevada, Inc., or its successor organization; and

(b) The annual audit and tax returns of Home Means Nevada, Inc., or its successor organization.

18. As used in this section:

(a) “Common-interest community” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 116.021.

(b) “Obligation” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 116.310313.

(c) “Unit-owners’ association” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 116.011.

(d) “Unit’s owner” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 116.095.

(Added to NRS by 2009, 1752; A 2011, 1683, 2033, 3538; 2013, 1552, 3479; 2015, 1345, 3323; R 2015, 3334; A 2017, 546, 4091, 4105, 4106; 2019, 1359)