Two years after getting approval for an electric vehicle charger, a condo owner in Los Angeles was surprised to get an email from their HOA about it.
In a Reddit post, they said they now needed to show proof of insurance and yearly maintenance for the Tesla wall charger, which the homeowners association hadn't asked for before. The sudden change left the homeowner wondering.
According to California Civil Code 4745, HOAs cannot block EV charging stations, but they can enforce what the law calls "reasonable restrictions." These restrictions may include requiring a licensed electrician for installation and proof of liability insurance if the charger is in a shared or common area.
The reasonable restrictions are rules that "do not significantly increase the cost of the station or significantly decrease its efficiency or specified performance.
When HOAs introduce new rules, they can discourage people from installing chargers or making the switch to an EV in the first place. That slows down the transition from dirty energy that warms the planet and contributes to extreme weather, and it makes it harder for people to save money by charging at home.
The good news for EV users in general is that many states have passed "right to charge" laws to make sure HOAs can't block people from charging their EVs. These laws were created to make EV adoption easier and cheaper for homeowners.
For anyone dealing with a similar issue, having the right information can help you advocate for eco-friendly, money-saving actions.
"They are just being a*******. Yearly maintenance for electrical equipment in a private setting is highly unusual," one commenter wrote. "... My home insurance also covers my charger, so maybe check if the insurance they have also covers you. Pretty standard to include all electronic equipment."
Another Redditor asked what yearly maintenance is even required for a charger. "Change the oil and filters. Rotate the capacitors. /S No maintenance is required," someone else jokingly responded.
"An HOA cannot place unreasonable restrictions on your ability to install EVSE, solar or satellite dish.... they can define acceptable locations (aesthetics) and require installation by qualified professionals," a fourth person pointed out.
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