Homeowners associations across the country have waged war on electric vehicle chargers, and even people who drive gas-powered cars are feeling the effects.
One Reddit user is worried that their HOA will prevent them from installing a new outlet in their garage.
The user explained that they want a new outlet so they can use a battery maintainer, a plug-in device that can extend a vehicle's battery life by maintaining an optimal level of charge. But because the HOA wants to discourage electric vehicle charging, it's forcing residents to jump through hoops to alter their outlets.
"I live in an HOA, and I really do not feel it is necessary to pay for an environmental impact study, a structural engineer, a designer, have to pull a city permit, and find an electrician with $10 million insurance just to install an outlet on the far side of my garage," the user wrote.
Commenters were baffled. One wrote: "What the hell are you talking about? Why would you need half of that (permit and electrician excepted)?"
The original poster responded, explaining that the HOA became concerned about the risk of fires from EV chargers — a problem that's easy to avoid by hiring a licensed electrical contractor. "The HOA did an audit to look in everyone's garage to see if they installed an EV charger. A neighbor had a battery maintainer plug in permanently to an outlet and they got a nasty letter," they wrote.
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HOAs across the country have made it difficult for people to make alterations to their homes that could benefit both their well-being and the environment, from installing solar panels to planting native lawns.
For people who want to save money on gas and car maintenance by switching to EVs, rules against installing new outlets can be a major headache.
Overall, these strict requirements could mean wasted resources, fewer gardens, and more gas-guzzlers on the road.
Fortunately, some HOAs are receptive to proposals for eco-friendly home improvements — and if they're not, homeowners can attempt to change their bylaws. Many states have laws about what HOAs can and can't do, and simply being aware of these laws — which some HOAs unknowingly break — can go a long way to bring about change.
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Some Reddit commenters suggested that the original poster take a more surreptitious route. As one person suggested: "Hire an electrician to install an outlet and don't say s*** the HOA."
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