Overly controlling homeowners associations across the U.S. often prevent homeowners from making eco-friendly and money-saving changes to their homes and yards.
One townhome owner in California posted to the r/solar subreddit to ask whether their HOA's denial of their request to install solar panels was legal and what their options were moving forward.
They wrote, "I applied to install solar panels … I just got a response from the HOA on October 9 saying they 'decided to deny at this time.'"
Later on, they questioned in a follow-up comment, "Is it normal for the HOA to deny this without any reasonable reasons?"
California's Solar Rights Act, a part of the Davis-Stirling Act, favors homeowners rather than HOAs, restricting the limits that can be imposed, at least in most cases.
Despite this, many HOAs still try to block homeowners from installing solar panels, claiming aesthetic guidelines or blaming architectural conditions. As a result, essential utilities are neglected, leaving homeowners unable to save money or reduce pollution from their homes, which can worsen their quality of life.
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In the original poster's case, things become trickier because living in a townhome means they share a roof, plus, as they explained in the comments, the HOA owns that roof.
It's unfortunate that HOAs are so often against solar panels, as installing them on your home is the ultimate energy hack and can result in utility bills as low as $0 per month. EnergySage offers a free online tool that makes it possible to compare quotes from local installers quickly and can possibly save homeowners up to $10,000.
Solar panel installation can be somewhat expensive upfront; however, leasing them can be an option for those who want to save money in the long run while helping the planet. Palmetto LightReach's leasing program installs panels for no money down and allows users to lock in a low energy rate, making the process less costly.
Best of all, home solar makes running money-saving electric appliances, such as heat pumps — which Mitsubishi can help homeowners find — even more affordable.
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Upfront costs 💰 As for the original poster, fellow Redditors had plenty of advice, including speaking to a lawyer, running for a place on the HOA to change the rules, and more.
"You need to speak with a lawyer who will send a certified letter to the HOA," wrote one Reddit user.
Another person suggested they "contact the Solar Rights Alliance for assistance with your HOA's compliance with California law."
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