A Reddit user says he recently applied to a Southern California Home Owners Association (HOA) to install solar panels, but was turned down, possibly illegally.
Solar panels are a common source of contention between homeowners and HOAs. Many HOA board members are concerned that solar panels will hurt property values, even though research shows that solar panels actually increase home values.
For residents, investing in solar power can reduce or eliminate electricity bills and keep the lights on during power outages that affect the larger grid, making it a smart move for homeowners in many ways, he said at the Department of Energy.
Using solar energy to power your home also reduces pollution and is cleaner than dirty energy sources like gas and coal.
In some counties, the law is on the homeowner's side. For example, California, where this Reddit user lives, has a Solar Bill of Rights, California Civil Code 714.
According to this law, "any agreement, restriction or condition" imposed by an HOA that "effectively prohibits or restricts the installation or use of a solar energy system is void and unenforceable." There are exceptions to "reasonable limits," but the HOA cannot increase the price of the system by more than $1,000 or reduce its efficiency by more than 10%.
However, that doesn't seem to bother the HOA Redditor.
"My HOA does not have a solar policy," they wrote in a post on the r/solar subreddit. "I submitted a general architecture request for solar based on what the rules are now for things that don't have a specific policy, and they just turned it down." Users are then asked what they should do next.
Commentators were quick to point the finger at the law. "They can't stop you in California," said one user who identified himself as a project manager for a residential solar project. "The solar access laws are on your side."
"The simple threat of getting a lawyer can change their attitude," said another user. However, they also added: "What I did for our board of directors was to volunteer for my project to be used as a 'template' for how and what projects to implement in the future."
The original poster said they would email their HOA about the decision and promised to send updates on any developments.
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