1. A mortgagor under a mortgage secured by owner-occupied housing or a grantor or the person who holds the title of record with respect to any deed of trust which concerns owner-occupied housing may initiate mediation to negotiate a loan modification under the mediation process set forth in NRS 107.086 if:

(a) A local housing counseling agency approved by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development certifies that the mortgagor, grantor or person who holds the title of record:

(1) Has a documented financial hardship; and

(2) Is in imminent risk of default; and

(b) The mortgagor, grantor or person who holds the title of record:

(1) Files a petition with the district court indicating an election to enter into mediation pursuant to this section;

(2) At the time of filing such a petition, pays to the clerk of the court a fee of $25;

(3) Pays to the district court his or her share of the fee established pursuant to subsection 12 of NRS 107.086; and

(4) Serves a copy of the petition upon Home Means Nevada, Inc., or its successor organization, and the beneficiary of the deed of trust, by certified mail, return receipt requested or, if authorized by the parties, by electronic transmission.

2. Upon receipt of a copy of a petition pursuant to subsection 1, Home Means Nevada, Inc., or its successor organization, shall notify the mortgage servicer, by certified mail, return receipt requested or, if authorized by the parties, by electronic transmission, of the petition of the mortgagor, grantor or person who holds the title of record to participate in mediation pursuant to this section. Upon receipt of a copy of a petition pursuant to subsection 1, the district court shall assign the matter to a senior justice, judge, hearing master or other designee and schedule the matter for mediation. Home Means Nevada, Inc., or its successor organization, shall notify 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 mortgagor, grantor or person who holds the title of record to participate in mediation.

3. Each mediation required by this section must be conducted in conformity with the requirements of subsections 5 and 6 of NRS 107.086.

4. 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 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 the order of dismissal, provide to the mortgage servicer a certificate which provides that the mediation required by this section has been completed in the matter. If Home Means Nevada, Inc., or its successor organization, provides such a certificate, the requirement for mediation pursuant to NRS 107.086 is satisfied.

5. The certificate provided pursuant to subsection 4 must be in the same form as the certificate provided pursuant to subsection 8 of NRS 107.086, and may be recorded in the office of the county recorder in which the trust property, or some part thereof, is situated. The recording of the certificate in the office of the county recorder in which the trust property, or some part thereof, is situated shall be deemed to be the recording of the certificate required pursuant to subparagraph (2) of paragraph (e) of subsection 2 of NRS 107.086.

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

7. Home Means Nevada, Inc., or its successor organization, and each mediator who acts pursuant to this section in good faith and without gross negligence are immune from civil liability for those acts.

8. As used in this section:

(a) “Financial hardship” means a documented event that would prevent the long-term payment of any debt relating to a mortgage or deed of trust secured by owner-occupied housing, including, without limitation:

(1) The death of the borrower or co-borrower;

(2) Serious illness;

(3) Divorce or separation; or

(4) Job loss or a reduction in pay.

(b) “Imminent risk of default” means the inability of a grantor or the person who holds the title of record to make his or her mortgage payment within the next 90 days.

(Added to NRS by 2015, 3315; A 2017, 4096, 4105; 2019, 1364)