Skylights LLC v. Byron

112 F. Supp. 3d 1145, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 82048, 2015 WL 3887061
CourtDistrict Court, D. Nevada
DecidedJune 24, 2015
DocketCase No. 2:15-cv-00043-GMN-VCF
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 112 F. Supp. 3d 1145 (Skylights LLC v. Byron) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Nevada primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Skylights LLC v. Byron, 112 F. Supp. 3d 1145, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 82048, 2015 WL 3887061 (D. Nev. 2015).

Opinion

ORDER

GLORIA M. NAVARRO, Chief Judge.

Pending before the Court is the Joint Motion for Summary-Judgment (ECF No. 26) filed by Defendant/Counter-Plaintiff Federal National Mortgage. Association (“Fannie Mae”) and Intervenor/Counter-Plaintiff Federal Housing Finance Agency (“FHFA”)., Counter-Defendant The Falls at Rhodes Ranch Owners Association, (the “HOA”) filed a Response in Opposition (ECF No. 31), and Plaintiff/Counter-Defendant Skylights LLC (“Skylights”) also filed a Response in .Opposition (ECF No. 32). Fannie Mae and FHFA filed a Reply in Support (ECF No. 38).

I. BACKGROUND

This case arises out of a dispute between the parties over the effects of the HOA’s foreclosure on their “super-priority” interest in real property under Nevada Revised Statutes § 116.3116, when a-first priority loan secured by the foreclosed upon property is held by Fannie Mae-or the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”). The primary question at issue involves the interplay between Nevada Revised Statutes § 116.3116 and 12 U.S.C. § 4617, the latter of which provides certain protections for property held by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac while under the conservatorship of FHFA.

A. Legal Background

1. A homeowner association’s super-priority in Nevada

Chapter 116 of Nevada Revised Statutes codifies Nevada’s Uniform , Common-Interest Ownership Act, and — with some exceptions — applies to all common-interest communities created in Nevada, including homeovmer associations of unit owners organized under a properly recorded declaration. Nev.Rev.Stat. §§ 116.001, -.1201, - [1148]*1148.2101, -.3101. Under section 116.3116, a homeowner association has a lien on a unit for assessments levied against that unit. Nev.Rev.Stat. § 116.3116(1). Nevada Revised Statutes § 116.3116(2) further provides that such homeowner association liens are prior to all other liens and encumbrances, subject to certain exceptions.

One exception 'to the homeowner association lien priority is for “[a] 'first security intérest on the unit recorded before the date on which the assessment sought to be enforced became delinquent.” Nev.Rev. Stat. § 116.3116(2)(b). However,- under the so-called “super-priority” provision contained in the same subsection, the homeowner association’s lien is prior to even a first security interest, but only “to the extent of’ charges for assessments “which would have become due in the absence of acceleration during the 9 months immediately preceding institution of an action to enforce the lien.” Id.

Confusion over how to interpret section 116.3116’s apparent exception within an exception has spawned a wave of litigation in Nevada between purchasers of real property at homeowner association foreclosures and the holders of first position security interests recorded before those foreclosures. Initially, whether the foreclosure of a homeowner association’s super-priority interest extinguished a first security interest under Nevada Revised Statutes § 116.3116 remained an open question in Nevada, with courts issuing contradictory rulings on the question. Compare SFR Investments Pool 1, LLC v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., No. 2:13-cv-01153-APG-PAL (D.Nev. July 25, 2013) (concluding that the HOA had established a likelihood of succeeding on the merits of its claim that foreclosure of the super priority portion of the HOA lien-extinguished a first recorded Deed of Trust) with Bayview Loan Servicing, LLC v. Alessi & Koenig, LLC, 962 F.Supp.2d 1222 (D.Nev. 2013) (granting summary judgment in favor of lender’s assignee and holding that the foreclosure of an HOA lien did not extinguish -the first mortgage). On September 18, 2014, however, the Supreme Court of Nevada finally resolved the issue and found that a homeowner association’s foreclosure of its super-priority lien extinguishes a first recorded security interest. SFR Investments Pool 1 v. U.S. Bank, - Nev. -, 334 P.3d 408, 409 (2014).

2. FHFA’s conservatorship over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

In July of 2008, Congress passed the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (“HERA”), Pub.L. No. 110-289, 122 Stat. 2654, codified at 12 U.S.C. § 4511 et seq., which established FHFA for the purpose of regulating Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the twelve Federal Home Loan Banks. In September of 2008, FHFA placed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac into conservatorships “for the purpose of reorganizing, rehabilitating, or winding up [their] affairs.” 12 U.S.C. § 4617(a)(2). As conservator, FHFA immediately succeeded to “all rights, titles, powers, and privileges” of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. 12 U.S.C. § 4617(b)(2)(A)(i).

In HERA, Congress granted FHFA numerous privileges and exemptions to carry out its statutory functions when acting as conservator of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Among these is a statutory “exemption” captioned “Property protection” providing that when acting as conservator, “[n]o property of [FHFA] shall be subject to levy, attachment, garnishment, foreclosure, or sale without the consent of [FHFA], nor shall any involuntary lien attach to the property of [FHFA].” 12 U.S.C. § 4617(j)(3).

B. Factual Background

Specifically at issue in this case is a dispute between the parties over their re[1149]*1149spective interests in certain real property located at 9050 West Warm Springs Road 2096, Las Vegas, NV, 89148 (the “Property”). On November 1, 2007, David and Jennifer Byron obtained a loan in the amount of $105,700 from CitiMortgage, Inc. (“CitiMortgage”) that was secured by a Deed of Trust on the Property. (Deed of Trust, ECF No. 27-1).1 The Deed of Trust named Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc, (“MERS”), as nominee for CitiMortgage, as the beneficiary and First American Title Company as the trustee. (Id.). At some point after the creation of the Deed of Trust and before this action, Clear Recon Corporation (“Clear Recon”) was allegedly substituted as the trustee of the Deed of Trust. (Compl. ¶ 7, ECF No. 1-1).

On September 6, 2008, FHFA’s Director placed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac into conservatorships pursuant to HERA. See (Pollard Decl. ¶ 2, ECF No. 26-1).

On November 18, 2011, MERS recorded an Assignment of Mortgage, assigning its interest in the Deed of Trust to CitiMortgage. (Assignment of Mortgage, Ex. 2 to ECF No. 271). On March 7, 2014, Citi-Mortgage recorded a Corporate Assignment of Deed of Trust, assigning its interest in the Deed of Trust to Fannie Mae. (Corp. Assignment of Deed of Trust; Ex. 3 to ECF No. 27-1).

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112 F. Supp. 3d 1145, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 82048, 2015 WL 3887061, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/skylights-llc-v-byron-nvd-2015.