Horizons at Seven Hills v. Ikon Holding , 2016 NV 35 ( 2016 )


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  •                                                  132 Nev., Advance Opinion 35
    IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEVADA
    HORIZONS AT SEVEN HILLS                             No. 63178
    HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION,
    Appellant,
    vs.
    FILED
    IKON HOLDINGS, LLC, A NEVADA                          APR 2 8 2016
    LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY,
    Respondent.
    Appeal from a district court judgment in a real property
    action. Eighth Judicial District Court, Clark County; Mark R. Denton,
    Judge.
    Affirmed in part and reversed in part.
    Holland & Hart, LLP, and Patrick J. Reilly and Nicole E. Lovelock, Las
    Vegas; Alverson, Taylor, Mortensen & Sanders and Kurt R. Bonds, Las
    Vegas,
    for Appellant.
    Adams Law Group and James R. Adams, Las Vegas; Puoy K. Premsrirut,
    Inc., and Puoy K. Premsrirut, Las Vegas,
    for Respondent.
    Adam Paul Laxalt, Attorney General, and Michelle D. Briggs, Senior
    Deputy Attorney General, Carson City,
    for Amicus Curiae State, Department of Business and Industry.
    Kemp, Jones & Coulthard, LLP, and J. Randall Jones, Carol L. Harris,
    and Nathanael R Rulis, Las Vegas,
    for Amicus Curiae Community Association Management Executive
    Officers, Inc.
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    BEFORE THE COURT EN BANC.'
    OPINION
    By the Court, HARDESTY, J.:
    In this appeal, we determine whether a superpriority lien for
    common expense assessments pursuant to NRS 116.3116(2) 2 includes
    collection fees and foreclosure costs incurred by a homeowners' association
    (HOA). We conclude that it does not. Additionally, we consider whether
    an HOA's covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&Rs) that purport to
    create a superpriority lien covering certain fees and costs over six months
    preceding foreclosure are superseded by the terms of the superpriority lien
    created by NRS 116.3116(2). We conclude that the superpriority lien in
    the CC&Rs is superseded by NRS 116.3116(2), thus affirming in part and
    reversing in part the district court's decision.
    FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY
    The property at issue in this case is located in Horizons at
    Seven Hills Ranch, a common-interest community as defined in NRS
    Chapter 116, operated and managed by appellant Horizons at Seven Hills
    Homeowners Association (Horizons). As a common-interest community,
    Horizons has the ability to collect and charge assessments, and administer
    and enforce the CC&Rs upon the unit owners, for the purpose of benefiting
    the community. See NRS 116.3115.
    "The Honorable Ron Parraguirre, Chief Justice, voluntarily recused
    himself from participation in the decision of this matter.
    2 1n 2015, the Legislature amended NRS 116.3116(5) to include
    certain fees and costs in superpriority liens. 2015 Nev. Stat., ch. 266, § 1,
    at 1333. Any discussion in this opinion related to this statute refers to the
    statute in effect at the time the underlying cause of action arose.
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    Horizons recorded its Declaration of CC&Rs in July 2005.
    Later that year, Hawley McIntosh purchased a home located within the
    common-interest community. In June 2009, McIntosh became delinquent
    on his first mortgage payments, and his first mortgage lender, OneWest
    Bank FSB, recorded a notice of default that same month. In August 2009,
    Horizons recorded a notice of default against McIntosh for nonpayment of
    association assessments and other costs in the amount of roughly $4,300.
    Before Horizons could foreclose, OneWest foreclosed on McIntosh's home
    in June 2010, holding a foreclosure auction on the same day, at which
    Scott Ludwig purchased the property. Ludwig transferred the property by
    quitclaim deed to respondent Ikon Holdings, LLC (Ikon) later that year.
    Horizons contacted Ikon and explained that Ikon acquired the
    property subject to Horizon's unexting -uished superpriority lien. Horizons
    demanded roughly $6,000 to extinguish the lien, which, in addition to
    unpaid assessments, included roughly $2,700 in collection fees and
    foreclosure costs. In response, Ikon acknowledged that it acquired the
    property subject to Horizon's superpriority lien, but it disagreed that the
    lien included nine months rather than six months of unpaid assessments
    or the collection fees and foreclosure costs that Horizons was seeking to
    recoup.
    When the parties were unable to resolve the matter, Ikon filed
    the underlying declaratory relief action. In particular, Ikon sought a
    ruling that, under NRS 116.3116(2), the superpriority portion of an HOA's
    lien consists of nine months' (or alternatively six months' based on the
    CC&Rs) worth of assessments and does not include collection fees and
    foreclosure costs. Horizons opposed the motion, arguing that NRS
    116.3116(2)'s superpriority provision necessarily includes nine months of
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    assessments and collection fees and foreclosure costs. The district court
    granted Ikon partial declaratory relief, reasoning that Horizons' CC&Rs
    limited its superpriority lien to an amount equal to six months of
    assessments, which did not offend NRS 116.3116(2)'s superpriority
    provision providing for nine months of assessments. Horizons now
    appeals
    On appeal, Horizons contends it is owed nine months of
    unpaid assessments totaling $1,657.50 and $1,592 in collection fees and
    foreclosure costs. 3 Although Ikon does not dispute that it owes six months
    of unpaid HOA dues owed at the time of the foreclosure sale, it does
    dispute whether Horizons is entitled to an additional three months of
    HOA dues or the collection fees and foreclosure costs.
    DISCUSSION
    The superpriority lien under NRS 116.3116(2) does not include fees or
    collection costs related to foreclosure
    Horizons and amicus curiae Community Association
    Management Executive Officers, Inc., argue that in addition to HOA dues,
    the superpriority lien4 includes an additional amount for collection fees
    and foreclosure costs incurred during the nine months prior to a
    foreclosure sale. Horizons contends these collection fees and foreclosure
    3 While Horizons did not foreclose on McIntosh, it expended money
    preparing for such a foreclosure.
    4 When an HOA forecloses on a property, the pre-2015 amendments
    of NRS 116.31164(3)(c) and NRS 116.3116(8) allowed for the recoupment
    of fees and costs. However, because Horizons did not foreclose on the
    property, NRS 116.31164(3)(c) and NRS 116.3116(8) are not implicated in
    this decision.
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    costs encompass fees for collecting past due assessments, such as third-
    party collection agency charges, and "trustee costs and publication costs in
    advance of a foreclosure sale." Horizons further contends that canons of
    statutory interpretation dictate that the superpriority lien includes these
    fees and costs, and that NRS 116.3116(2) must be read in conjunction with
    NAC 116.470. Ikon, along with amicus curiae Department of Business
    and Industry, Real Estate Division (NRED), counter that these fees and
    costs are not collectible under NRS 116.3116(2).
    Standard of review
    Questions of statutory construction are reviewed de novo.
    Ransdell v. Clark Cty., 
    124 Nev. 847
    , 854, 
    192 P.3d 756
    , 761 (2008). When
    interpreting an ambiguous statute, this court attempts to ascertain the
    Legislature's intent. Chanos v. Nev. Tax Commin, 
    124 Nev. 232
    , 240, 
    181 P.3d 675
    , 681 (2008). To determine the Legislature's intent, we look to
    "legislative history, reason, and considerations of public policy." 
    Id.
    NRS 116.3116
    NRS 116.3116(1) confers to an HOA a lien on a homeowner's
    unit for unpaid assessments, construction penalties, and fines levied
    against the unit. NRS 116.3116(2) establishes the priority of that lien,
    splitting the lien into two pieces—"a superpriority piece and a subpriority
    piece." SF]? Invs. Pool 1 v. U.S. Bank, N.A., 130 Nev., Adv. Op. 75, 
    334 P.3d 408
    , 411 (2014). The superpriority lien
    is . . . prior to all security interests . . . to the
    extent of any charges incurred by the association
    on a unit pursuant to NRS 116.310312 and to the
    extent of the assessments for common expenses
    based on the periodic budget adopted by the
    association pursuant to NRS 116.3115 which
    would have become due in the absence of
    acceleration during the 9 months immediately
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    preceding institution of an action to enforce the
    lien.
    NRS 116.3116(2). SFR characterized the superpriority piece as including
    "the last nine months of unpaid HOA dues and maintenance and
    nuisance-abatement charges." 5 130 Nev., Adv. Op. 75, 334 P.3d at 411.
    Horizons argues that based on persuasive caselaw and on
    rules of statutory construction, NRS 116.3116(2) provides for a look-back
    provision, designed to place it in the same position it would have been over
    the previous nine months, but for the default. We are not persuaded by
    this argument.
    To support its position, Horizons argues that this court should
    adopt the holding in Hudson House Condominium Ass'n, Inc. v. Brooks,
    
    611 A.2d 862
     (Conn 1992). In Hudson House, a condominium association
    was "foreclos[ind a statutory lien for delinquent common expense
    assessments due on a condominium unit owned by the named defendant."
    
    Id. at 864
    . The association asserted that pursuant to the superpriority
    lien, 6 it was owed an amount equal to the common expense assessments,
    as well as interest, collection costs, and attorney fees. 
    Id. at 864, 866
    . The
    court concluded that the superpriority lien included interest, collection
    costs, and attorney fees. It reasoned that a Connecticut statute stating
    that "a judgment or decree in any action brought under this section shall
    5 Pursuant to NRS 116.310312(4), "maintenance or abatement" costs
    include "reasonable inspection fees, notification and collection costs and
    interest." We note, however, that these are not the type of collection costs
    relating to foreclosure that are in dispute here.
    5 TheConnecticut statutes in Hudson House are identical, for the
    purposes of this analysis, to the Nevada statutes.
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    include costs and reasonable attorney[ I fees for the prevailing party"
    authorized these fees and costs to be within the superpriority lien because
    the court believed this to be the only "reasonable and rational result." 
    Id. at 866
     (internal quotations omitted).
    We disagree with Hudson House's holding for three reasons.
    First, the court did not conduct a statutory analysis of the superpriority
    lien language. Neither NRS 116.3116(2) nor the Connecticut statute
    creating the superpriority lien mention collection fees and foreclosure
    costs, and the statutes specifically provide that the superpriority lien is
    limited to "the extent of the assessments for common expenses." NRS
    116.3116(2); see also Hudson House, 611 A.2d at 863 n.1 (quoting the
    Connecticut statute: "to the extent of the common expense assessments").
    Second, Hudson House relied on the policy concern that
    because common expense assessments are often small, and the prioritized
    portion of the lien is typically the only collectible portion for an HOA, "it
    seems highly unlikely that the legislature would have authorized such
    foreclosure proceedings without including the costs of collection in the sum
    entitled to a priority." Id. at 866. Horizons makes similar arguments:
    that limiting the superpriority lien to only nine months of unpaid
    assessments leads to absurd results and renders the statute meaningless
    because foreclosure will often be economically unfeasible for HOAs. We
    are not persuaded by this line of reasoning. While we recognize that
    collection fees and costs may be incurred in a foreclosure, the Legislature
    has the authority to determine the definition of a superprioity lien and
    may provide for the recovery of collection fees and costs under different
    provisions of the statutory scheme.     See, e.g., NRS 116.31164(3)(c) (2005)
    (providing for priority to the selling party on certain fees and costs). But
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    that legislative choice does not render the definition of a superpriority lien
    absurd.
    Third, in Hudson House, the association brought an action to
    judicially foreclose on the property, entitling it to a "judgment or decree."
    611 A.2d at 864. In effect, the court found that the association was the
    prevailing party and, on that basis, was entitled to the recovery of the
    costs and fees under the Connecticut statute.
    NAG 116.470
    Horizons further contends that NAC 116.470 must be read in
    conjunction with NRS 116.3116(2). NAG 116.470 sets a cap of $1,950 that
    applies in most foreclosure sales. Horizons argues that if NRS 116.3116(2)
    is interpreted to not include collection fees and foreclosure costs, it will
    contradict NAG 116.470 by removing the need for a cap. We interpret
    "statutes within a statutory scheme harmoniously with one another to
    avoid an unreasonable or absurd result."         Nev. Attorney for Injured
    Workers v. Nev. Self-Insurers Ass'n,   
    126 Nev. 74
    , 84, 
    225 P.3d 1265
    , 1271
    (2010) (internal quotations omitted). Additionally, "administrative
    regulations cannot contradict the statute they are designed to implement."
    Id. at 83, 
    225 P.3d at 1271
     (internal quotations omitted).
    We conclude that NAG 116.470 and NRS 116.3116(2) can
    easily be reconciled. Interpreting the superpriority lien to exclude
    collection fees and foreclosure costs does not preclude fees and costs from
    being incurred, up to the cap. Such an interpretation of NRS 116.3116(2)
    only speaks to the priority in which those fees and costs can be collected.
    NAG 116.470 simply provides for a cap on fees and costs but does not
    speak to priority.
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    Legislative history
    A review of the legislative history further demonstrates that
    the Legislature did not intend for collection fees and foreclosure costs
    incurred to be included in MRS 116.3116(2)'s superpriority lien. NRS
    116.3116 comes from the Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act
    (UCIOA) of 1982, which is codified in the Nevada Revised Statutes as NRS
    Chapter 116.      See NRS 116.001. Section 3-116 of the UCIOA is
    substantially similar to NRS 116.3116. Compare UCIOA § 3-116, 7 U.L.A.
    374-81 (2008), with NRS 116.3116. The 1994 version of section 3-116 of
    the UCIOA included only "common expense assessments based on the
    periodic budget" as part of the superpriority lien. UCIOA § 3-116(b), 7
    U.L.A. 569 (1994). In 2008, amendments were made to section 3-116 to
    also include "reasonable attorney [ ] fees and costs incurred by the
    association in foreclosing the association's lien" as part of the superpriority
    lien. UCIOA § 3-116(c), 7 U.L.A. 374-75 (2008). These are exactly the
    type of collection costs sought by Horizons. However, while a similar
    amendment to NRS 116.3116 to add collection costs relating to foreclosure
    to the superpriority lien was considered by the Legislature in both 2009
    and 2011, no such amendment was adopted.
    Specifically, in 2009, the Legislature amended MRS Chapter
    116 by adding a new section, NRS 116.310313, permitting HOAs to charge
    homeowners collection costs in advance of foreclosure. A.B. 350, 75th Leg.
    (Nev. 2009); 2009 Nev. Stat., ch. 485, § 1.7, at 2795. However, NRS
    116.3116 was not amended at that time to reflect the addition of NRS
    116.310313. In 2011, Senate Bill (S.B.) 174 was introduced in an attempt
    to change NRS 116.3116(1) and (2) by adding language allowing the
    collection costs permitted under MRS 116.310313 to become part of the
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    HOA's lien and the superpriority lien. S.B. 174, 76th Leg. (Nev. 2011) (as
    introduced). The bill was amended during the session, removing the
    collection costs permitted under NRS 116.310313 from NRS 116.3116(1)
    and adding language that set a dollar limit for the collection costs as part
    of the superpriority lien under NRS 116.3116(2), S.B. 174, 76th Leg.,
    (Nev. 2011) (first reprint). Although the Senate Judiciary Committee
    approved the amended bill, the Assembly Judiciary Committee took no
    action, leaving NRS 116.3116(1) and (2) unchanged. S.B. 174, 76th Leg.
    (Nev. 2011) (Bill Summary).
    Because the "[c]osts of collecting" as set forth in NRS
    116.310313 was omitted from NRS 116.3116(2), we must presume the
    Legislature did not intend for such costs to be included as part of an
    HOA's superpriority lien. 7 See Dep't of Taxation v. DaimlerChrysler Servs.
    N. Am., LLC, 
    121 Nev. 541
    , 548, 
    119 P.3d 135
    , 139 (2005) ("[Olmissions of
    subject matters from statutory provisions are presumed to have been
    intentional."); see also Galloway v. Truesdell, 
    83 Nev. 13
    , 26, 
    422 P.2d 237
    ,
    246 (1967); 2A Norman J. Singer & J.D. Shambie Singer, Statutes &
    Statutory Constr. § 47:23 (7th ed. 2014) ("The maxim expressio unius est
    exclusio alterius . . . instructs that, where a statute designates a form of
    conduct, the manner of its performance and operation, and the persons
    7Bolstering this conclusion, the legislative history regarding the
    2015 amendment to the statute indicates on many occasions that the
    change was a revision, not simply a clarification. See, e.g., S.B. 306, 78th
    Leg. (Nev. 2015) (as introduced); Hearing on S.B. 306 Before the Senate
    Judiciary Comm., 78th Leg. (Nev. April 7, 2015) (statement by Senator
    Aaron D. Ford discussing proposed amendments to the statutory
    provisions governing HOA liens).
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    and things to which it refers, courts should infer that all omissions were
    intentional exclusions.").
    Advisory opinions
    Horizons urges this court to give deference to an advisory
    opinion from the Commission for Common Interest Communities and
    Condominium Hotels (CCICCH), in which it determined that "Nevada law
    authorizes the collection of 'charges for late payment of assessments' as a
    portion of the super lien amount." 10-01 Op. CCICCH 1, 12-13 (2010).
    Horizons advocates that this is the correct interpretation of the statute.
    In contrast, Ikon argues the CCICCH has no legal authority to publish
    advisory opinions because such authority is strictly reserved by statute for
    NRED. As such, Ikon asserts this court should follow the advisory opinion
    issued by NRED in December 2012. See 13-01 Op. NRED (2012).
    As we noted in SFR, NRED "is charged with administering
    Chapter 116." 130 Nev., Adv. Op. 75, 334 P.3d at 416; see also NRS
    116.615. That administration includes issuing "advisory opinions as to the
    applicability or interpretation of. . . [a]ny provision of this chapter." NRS
    116.623(1)(a).
    Among the questions NRED was asked to address concerning
    NRS 116.3116 in its December 2012 opinion was whether "the portion of
    the association's lien which is superior to a unit's first security interest
    (referred to as the 'super priority lien') contain[s] 'costs of collecting'
    defined by NRS 116.310313[J" 13-01 Op. NEED 1 (2012). NRED
    answered this question in the negative and initially stated that
    Mlle association's lien does not include "costs of
    collecting" defined by NRS 116.310313, so the
    super priority portion of the lien may not include
    such costs. NRS 116.310313 does not say such
    charges are a lien on the unit, and NRS 116.3116
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    does not make such charges part of the
    association's lien.
    Id. After conducting a thorough analysis of the legislative history behind
    NRS 116.3116, NEED concluded the "Legislature's actions in the 2009 and
    2011 sessions are indicative of its intent not to make costs of collecting
    part of the lien," and thus, "the association's lien does not include 'costs of
    collecting' as defined by NRS 116.310313." Id. at 7. We find NRED's
    interpretation of NRS 116.3116, including its legislative history analysis,
    persuasive. 8
    8The parties also dispute whether the superpriority lien statute
    includes late fees, or charges and/or interest. NEED also considered this
    issue in its advisory opinion and determined that,
    while the association's lien may include any
    penalties, fees, charges, late charges, fines and
    interest charged pursuant to NRS 116.3102(1)(j) to
    (n), inclusive, the total amount of the super
    priority lien attributed to assessments is no more
    than 9 months of the monthly assessment
    reflected in the association's budget. Association
    budgets do not reflect late charges or interest
    attributed to an anticipated delinquent owner, so
    there is no basis to conclude that such charges
    could be included in the super priority lien or in
    addition to the assessments.     Such extraneous
    charges are not included in the association's super
    priority lien.
    13-01 Op. NEED 12 (2012) (third emphasis added). We further note there
    is no mention in NRS 116.3116, or the other provisions of NRS Chapter
    116 to which that statute refers, that late fees or interest relating to
    foreclosure collection costs may be included as part of the HOA's
    superpriority lien. Thus, we must presume the Legislature intentionally
    excluded late fees and interest from thefl superpriority lien statute. See
    DaimlerChrysler, 121 Nev. at 548, 
    119 P.3d at 139
     (stating that "omissions
    continued on next page...
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    Taking into consideration the legislative intent, the statute's
    text, and statutory construction principles, we conclude the superpriority
    lien granted by NRS 116.3116(2) does not include an amount for collection
    fees and foreclosure costs incurred; rather it is limited to an amount equal
    to the common expense assessments due during the nine months before
    foreclosure. 9
    Horizons' CC&Rs are superseded by NRS 116.3116
    Horizons contends that there are two separate liens—a
    statutory lien under NRS 116.3116 and a contractual lien derived from
    Horizons' CC&Rs. Horizons argues the contractual lien created in the
    ...continued
    of subject matters from statutory provisions are presumed to have been
    intentional").
    °In Shadow Wood Homeowners Ass'n, Inc. v. New York Community
    Bancorp, Inc., we noted "that the district court erred in limiting the BOA
    lien amount to nine months of common expense assessments." 132 Nev.,
    Adv. Op. 5, 
    366 P.3d 1105
    , 1107 (2016). In the context of Shadow Wood,
    we were determining the extent of an BOA lien when a bank foreclosed its
    first security interest and became the owner of the foreclosed property. 
    Id.
    The superpriority lien included nine months of pre-foreclosure past due
    common expense assessments. Id. at 1113; see also NRS 116.3116(2)
    (stating that the superpriority lien is "prior to all security interests,"
    including "[a] first security interest on the unit"). After the bank
    purchased the property, it failed to pay common expense assessments due
    (at which time the BOA foreclosed on the property). Shadow Wood, 132
    Nev., Adv. Op 5, 366 P.3d at 1113. NRS 116.3116(2)'s nine-month
    superpriority lien did not affect the amount the bank owed the HOA after
    the bank foreclosed because the "first security interest" was extinguished,
    and the superpriority lien does not limit amounts due from a property
    owner to an BOA. Accordingly, in Shadow Wood, the HOA was entitled to
    recover the superpriority lien amounts accrued for nine months prior to
    the bank's foreclosure, and it was entitled to assessments, fees, and costs
    accrued after the bank purchased the property. Id.
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    Irk
    CC&Rs allows it to have superpriority on collection fees and foreclosure
    costs, regardless of NRS 116.3116(2). Ikon counters that NRS 116.1206
    supersedes the CC&Rs as to costs and fees, capping the superpriority lien
    to the amount allowed under NRS 116.3116, but argues that the time
    frame provided in the CC&Rs—six months—overcomes NRS 116.3116(2)'s
    allowance of nine months of common expense assessments. The district
    court concluded that there was only one superpriority lien, which included
    "interest, costs and other fees. . . as long as the prioritized portion of the
    lien does not exceed an amount equal to [six] months of assessments as
    noted in Sections 7.8 and 7.9 of the CC&R[s]."
    "The rules of construction governing the interpretation of
    contracts apply to the interpretation of restrictive covenants for real
    property. When there is no dispute of fact, a contract's interpretation is a
    legal question subject to de novo review." Diaz v. Ferne, 
    120 Nev. 70
    , 73,
    
    84 P.3d 664
    , 665-66 (2004).
    Horizons' CC&Rs state, in pertinent part, as follows:
    Section 7.8 . . . The lien of the assessments,
    including interest and costs, shall be subordinate
    to the lien of any [f]irst [m]ortgage upon the [u] nit
    (except to the extent of [a]nnual [a]ssessments
    which would have become due in the absence of
    acceleration during the six (6) months
    immediately preceding institution of an action to
    enforce the lien).
    Section 7.9 ... A lien for assessments, including
    interest, costs, and attorney[ 1 fees, as provided for
    herein, shall be prior to all other liens and
    encumbrances on a Unit, except for: (a) liens and
    encumbrances [r] ecorded before the fdleclaration
    was Hecorded; (b) a first [m]ortgage Hecorded
    before the delinquency of the assessment sought to
    be enforced (except to the extent of [a]nnual
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    [a]ssessments which would have become due in
    the absence of acceleration during the six (6)
    months immediately preceding institution of an
    action to enforce the lien) ] and (c) liens for real
    estate taxes and other governmental charges, and
    is otherwise subject to NRS § 116.3116. ... Where
    the [b]eneficiary of a [flirst [m]ortgage of [r]ecord
    or other purchaser of a [u]nit obtains title
    pursuant to a judicial or non-judicial
    foreclosure . . . the [p]erson who obtains title and
    his or her successors and assigns shall not be
    liable for the share of the [c]ommon [e]xpenses or
    assessments by the [HO.A] chargeable to such
    [u]nit which became due prior to the acquisition of
    title to such [ulnit by such [p]erson (except to the
    extent of fainnual [a]ssessments which would have
    become due in the absence of acceleration during
    the six (6) months immediately preceding
    institution of an action to enforce the lien).
    This language indicates that a lien is created covering certain fees and
    costs over six months preceding foreclosure. However, NRS 116.1206(1)
    provides:
    Any provision contained in a declaration, bylaw or
    other governing document of a common-interest
    community that violates the provisions of this
    chapter:
    (a) Shall be deemed to conform with those
    provisions by operation of law, and any such
    declaration, bylaw or other governing document is
    not required to be amended to conform to those
    provisions.
    (b)Is superseded by the provisions of this
    chapter, regardless of whether the provision
    contained in the declaration, bylaw or other
    governing document became effective before the
    enactment of the provision of this chapter that is
    being violated.
    (Emphasis added.)
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    While we do not comment on the validity of the CC&Rs' lien in
    general, to the extent that Horizons' CC&Rs purport to create a six-month
    superpriority lien that certain includes fees and costs, we conclude that
    NRS 116.1206(1) negates the effect of those provisions because they
    violate NRS 116.3116(2)'s plain language by (1) limiting the prioritized
    portion to six months when the statute allows for nine months, and
    (2) including certain fees and costs. Accordingly, we conclude that the
    district court's limitation of the superpriority lien to six months of common
    expense assessments and its inclusion of certain fees and costs in the
    superpriority lien was error.
    CONCLUSION
    For the reasons set forth above, we conclude that a
    superpriority lien pursuant to NRS 116.3116(2) does not include an
    additional amount for the collection fees and foreclosure costs that an HOA
    incurs preceding a foreclosure sale; rather, it is limited to an amount equal
    to nine months of common expense assessments. We further conclude that,
    to the extent that Horizons' CC&R provisions can be read as creating a
    superpriority lien covering certain fees and costs and a six month time
    frame, those provisions are superseded by statute and are thus negated.
    Accordingly, we affirm that portion of the district court's order granting
    partial declaratory relief in favor of Ikon to the extent that it can be
    construed as prohibiting Horizons from including fees and costs in its
    superpriority lien. But we reverse that portion of the district court's order
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    that limited the superpriority lien to six months of common expense
    assessments and allowed fees and costs to be included if the outstanding
    monthly assessments did not exceed six months.
    /-it4 ■11.c.,LAI     , J.
    Hardesty
    We concur:
    Douglas
    ,   J.
    Gibbons
    J.
    Pickering
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