One homeowners association board member went to Reddit for advice about how to protect their residents' right to solar panels when it looked like a board meeting might threaten it.
"I, located in Georgia, am on the board of my HOA and we are having a meeting next week and one topic is solar panel rules," they said in their post. "Currently I believe we have no rules regarding solar panels. I hope to keep it that way."
According to the original poster, that was the entire reason they were on the board to begin with. "I joined the HOA board hoping to minimize HOA interference with people doing what they want to their properties," they said.
If so, that's a refreshing change of pace. Many homeowners have struggled with their HOAs over the right to install solar panels. Although these devices are an incredible way to save money by generating clean energy for free, HOAs often object to them for aesthetic reasons. EnergySage offers a free service to help homeowners locate and compare solar installers, saving up to $10,000 on solar panel installation.
After finding that someone else had added solar panels to the meeting agenda, the original poster wanted to prepare to defend the issue. "I have tried googling for evidence that solar panels (specifically on the street side) don't affect property values in any negative way and haven't turned up much useful," they said.
Nevertheless, they had another solid argument. "We are also in an area where the power company is absolutely destroying us on rates," they revealed. "Georgia power already has approved rate hikes over the next several years and last year reported record profits ever. My regular bill is $300-400/mo and there are some in my neighborhood getting $1k+ bills during summer/winter months. My highest was $700."
Watch now: How bad is a gas stove for your home's indoor air quality?
Unfortunately, the original poster's location in Georgia threw a wrench in the works.
"In most states, it's against the law for an HOA to place restriction on solar panels," said one commenter.
"Not in Georgia, solar access laws are minimal," replied another user.
Nevertheless, there is hope. HOAs usually have internal processes for changing their bylaws, allowing residents to define the standards for their own neighborhoods. It helps that the original poster is already on the board.
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