A Las Vegas veteran and firefighter is speaking out against his homeowners association (HOA) after receiving a demand to remove display fire hydrants in his front yard—items tied to his military service and over 30 years in the profession.
Brent Saba, currently a fire inspector, said the HOA sent a violation notice regarding three non-functional fire hydrants placed in front of his home. According to local station KSNV News 3, the reason given related to landscaping regulations for front and side yards, especially in areas with a high risk of wildfires.
Saba noted that the hydrants had been on display for over a year since he moved in without any prior objections. One of them he brought back from Iraq after his military service.
“This hydrant, I brought back from Iraq. I served there for over a year. It has a very special meaning,” he said.
He asserted that many neighbors support the display.
“Are they going to tell someone with over 30 years in the fire service that they have to get rid of fire hydrants? It’s not clutter or an eyesore. My neighbors even think it looks good,” he shared, while also emphasizing his professional experience in wildfire response for decades.
Following the notice, the HOA required him to submit an application to keep the hydrants. Despite support letters from neighbors, his application was initially denied. Subsequently, the HOA sent additional requests for more consensus from other residents.
Saba felt the handling was unreasonable.
“I’m an inspector. If I write a citation that is outside the regulations, I look ridiculous,” he said.
By Saturday, the HOA notified him that he could keep the fire hydrants. However, the dispute has caused him to consider moving out of the neighborhood.
“This was the straw that broke the camel's back. I won't accept being pushed around like that. I will fight to the end,” he said. Such heated arguments over community regulations are frequent occurrences in many states.
Attorney Chad Cummings noted that these types of disputes happen quite often.
“HOA boards often misapply their own rules. This case is very typical—they used a 'storage' rule to deal with decorative displays,” he stated.
The Antelope HOA has not yet issued an official response.
