Homeowners Association Solar Panels

Homeowners associations hoas typically establish rules for a neighborhood s aesthetic and sometimes attempt to restrict your ability to go solar.

Homeowners association solar panels. Beginning in 2014 an indianapolis homeowner and his hoa entered into a dispute over the solar panels on the roof of his home. Community officials believe solar panels change the pre planned aesthetics and landscape of the neighborhood and generally look out of place. Federal hoa laws in addition to state law regulations the federal government has laws that govern homeowners associations condominiums and other residential properties in pennsylvania. In states with solar easements property owners can negotiate with their neighbors to protect their right to sunlight and prevent obstructions such as trees or structures on a neighbor s lawn that cast shade on their panels.

Unfortunately pennsylvania does not have rules that prevent hoas from stopping you from going solar. How long does it take to earn back your initial investment in solar panels. To fully capture the sun s energy the solar panels need to face. However since solar is worth thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars and can add around 10 000 to 30 000 of value to your home we might recommend raising your coverage limit to cover the cost of your home with the solar panel system.

163 says about coa and hoa restrictions on solar panels in so. 3101 et seq the act applies to condominiums created after the act s effective date 120 days from july 2 1980. It s also against the law to make rules in order to make the process of installing solar panels too difficult or expensive for members. This proposed law included provisions prohibiting homeowner s associations from enacting rules limiting solar panel installation with a few exceptions.

Whether you are a member living within a development governed by a homeowners association hoa or a condominium owners association coa and interested in installing solar panels on your home or a member of the board of directors of a hoa coa or its respective architectural review committees arc in florida it would behoove you to become familiar with florida statute 163. A solar payback period is the amount of time it takes for property owners who install solar panels to recover their initial investment through electricity. Many homeowners discover after the fact that their request to install solar is denied by homeowners association board members due to clauses written in their hoa bylaws. An association cannot ban the installation and use of solar energy panels.

Even if you find them unsightly they are here to stay. It is essential that you understand what f s. Pennsylvania uniform condominium act uca pa. On a cost per watt w basis a solar panel installation in pennsylvania ranges in price from 2 57 to 3 47.

Hoa laws and regulations. Hr 2454 the american clean energy and security act was a proposed federal law that made it illegal for a homeowners association to restrict the installation of solar panels.