How it all began
Many property owners bought vacant land in Pahrump, NV decades ago from Preferred Equities, who filed bankruptcy prior to fulfilling any obligations. Click here to read the article on The Rosen Brothers, aka Preferred Equities Corp.
Today, there are still quite a few original owners, mostly in other states, who bought the dream of having a place in this rural town, an hour from Las Vegas, with promises and hopes that were stripped away over time, leaving them with unusable land not worth what they paid for it.
These lots are commonly referred to as zombie lots, or utility-challenged, due to the restrictive VR (Village Residential) zoning. The definition of a zombie lot is considered to be a parcel that remains taxable but cannot be reasonably be used or developed.
Many original owners have passed away leaving their heirs to inherit the land, for them to discover it wasn’t what their loved ones thought it would ever be.
And then there are the defaulted Tax properties that go up for Auction on some of these lots, but the county never says anything about the land being unusable, where the buyer is just glad to get what they think is a great buy for so little. Then they find after the purchase that it is unusable and their stuck with it.
A few other owners bought from sellers that just wanted out of what they had at any price and loss without giving it to the county for unpaid taxes.
This cycle continues happening year after year for the last 5 decades, which is why a group of these owners has been formed to stand together to end this unfair and unjustifiable denial of these owners property rights.
Owners continue paying property taxes year after year with nothing in return, but the hope they hold onto that one day water and sewer lines will eventually be available in order for them to build on their lot. But, the county is not able to provide such infrastructure nor will the Utility Company provide it either, since they are barred under Rule 9 as set forth with the Public Utility Commission of Nevada, for the tariff utility servicing areas established by PUCN.
Rule 9 indicates any such infrastructure is the responsibility of the owner/builder to provide water and sewer extensions to their own lot in order to connect to such utility lines which is cost prohibitive for anyone. You can read about Rule 9 here.
It’s time something changes the continual taxation with nothing in return, and to restore value to the land one way or another which is why owners working together need to stand up for their rights to use their own land.
Together we are stronger than one person calling in on their own to find out they cannot do anything on their own land.