Homeowners associations are notorious for the level of control they attempt to exert over their residents — as evidenced by a Redditor in Florida who vented about their HOA's hostility to solar panels on r/HOA.
According to the thread's title, the user sought to place solar panels on a patio roof. But their HOA prohibited the installation, citing concerns about maintenance and the "architectural look of the condominium building."
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Clean energy isn't the only frivolous limitation with which eco-conscious HOA residents have contended. Homeowners associations often pressure members to aggressively maintain their lawns, restrict benign activities such as composting for purportedly spoiling appearances, and demand that residents remove landscape features.
Fellow Redditors understood the poster's frustration and offered tips on fighting their HOA for access to solar power.
"Contact an attorney. I believe that the HOA cannot restrict you from having solar panels," a commenter advised.
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"It's against the law for an HOA to prohibit the installation of solar panels in Florida," another said, linking to information about state laws.
"If you live in Florida, I think that they don't have a choice unless maybe it is a safety hazard," another wrote.
Someone else surmised that the original poster's HOA sought to avoid liability and changes to metering, but the poster said their installation was freestanding.
"My setup wouldn't involve metering. It's an off-grid, tied only to a few batteries," they explained.
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The cost 💰 Finally, one user blasted oppressive HOA rules in general as well as the groups' priorities.
"HOAs are just another way of getting money for them, and more rules for you," they huffed.
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