A new Tesla owner took to Reddit to ask others living in townhomes if they had successfully convinced an HOA to install EV chargers in their communities.
"I hate writing letters to our HOA," the original poster commented. "They are just so anal about everything."
In the conversation, the OP also shared that their homeowners association had previously prohibited solar panels.
HOAs across the country have restricted homeowners from making changes that can help them save money and reduce their carbon footprints. Permission to make important upgrades is often denied for purely aesthetic reasons, and HOAs are notoriously strict when it comes to their bylaws.
Working within an HOA to change bylaws in order to make eco-friendly upgrades can be a challenge. Homeowners are often met with resistance, but there are ways to enact change. Understanding your community's bylaws and checking state laws can sometimes uncover conflicts, and state laws prevail.
The combination of electric vehicle ownership and a home solar panel installation is a particularly wise cost-cutting and environmentally friendly option, but HOAs can present challenges, especially in townhome communities. If you are in a position to charge your EV using solar energy, you can save a great deal of money on both fuel and energy costs, which can be cut to or near $0. EnergySage makes finding vetted solar panel installers easy, providing a free service that allows you to compare quotes and save up to $10,000.
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The OP anticipated meeting resistance from their HOA regarding installing a charging station. One avenue was to attend a meeting with other like-minded residents to enact change that would allow them to make eco-friendly improvements to their properties.
Commenters shared other advice, experiences, and frustrations.
"You should write some angry letter to your state legislature," one suggested. "They're probably happy to prohibit HOAs from banning EV chargers."
"I never understand why any community would be against charging infrastructure," another said.
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Someone else noted: "If it has to come to a vote, the challenge is getting enough people on board. Long term, the chargers will definitely benefit the community."
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