Homeowner outraged over baffling HOA requirement: 'It's ridiculous'

EV drivers can conveniently power their vehicles and save money on charging costs by having EV chargers installed at home.  

But if you live in a place with an HOA, you might encounter roadblocks and pushbacks when trying to take clean energy charging into your own hands. 

In a Reddit post r/evcharging, one California condo owner asked for advice about their HOA's charging rules. 

The OP explained that their condo has an individual garage attached to their home, which is accessible only to them. The HOA requires itself to be added as an "additional insured" on the homeowner's insurance policy. However, no insurance company will agree to this addition. 

"In my opinion, it's ridiculous that they treat something like this different than any other potential risk, such as my dryer or water heater catching fire," the OP wrote. "That's all covered under my homeowners policy and requires no specific insurance." 

In the insurance industry, an "additional insured" refers to a person or entity that is added to a policy, thereby receiving protection under the primary homeowner's insurance policy. In this situation, the HOA would be protected from claims without incurring any costs or managing the policy. 

This HOA policy is concerning because it hinders the homeowner's ability to conveniently and affordably drive and charge their EV. Outdated and overly restrictive HOA policies often present unnecessary and burdensome challenges for people trying to live sustainable lives. 

These types of HOA policies often have negative environmental consequences, including increased pollution, wasted energy, and harmful impacts on local ecosystems.  

In other communities, homeowners have become outraged with anti-sustainability HOA policies, leading them to find creative workarounds or seek legal action. 

If the OP were able to charge their EV in the garage using home solar panels, they could reduce their energy costs to or near $0 while also curbing their pollution output. EnergySage offers a free service to help you compare local installer quotes and save up to $10,000 on solar installations. Despite the available incentives, many people still cannot outright buy solar panels. For those more interested in leasing them, check out Palmetto's LightReach program.

Should homeowners associations be able to determine what you grow in your garden? Yes 💯 Only if it impacts your neighbors 🏘️ Depends on what you're growing 🌼 Heck no 🙅 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Fortunately, there are often reasonable and rational ways to work with your HOA to change the established rules for the benefit of everyone.  

"Get on the HOA. Change the rule," one Reddit user recommended in response to the OP's post. "You can't fight city hall. But you can join city hall, and work within the political system and change the laws to suit your needs." 

"You don't petulantly ignore an HOA, or you suffer," another Reddit user advised. "They are much more powerful than governments ought to be."

In the comments, the OP provided an update on their situation. 

"I reached out to legislators, and they confirmed that language was meant to be struck, and they admitted the flaw," the OP shared. "They said they are working on introducing a bill or something to solve this problem." 

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