Hoa Solar Panels California

In the state of california the california solar rights act prevents hoas from limiting a person s ability to install solar panels.

Hoa solar panels california. Community officials believe solar panels change the pre planned aesthetics and landscape of the neighborhood and generally look out of place. California established the solar rights act in 1978 which limits the ability of hoas and local governments to prevent the installation of solar panel systems. A solar energy system also extends the life of the roof by protecting it from harmful ultraviolet rays and inclement weather. So long as you comply with reasonable restrictions those are stated in civil code 714 1 and 4746 an hoa cannot arbitrarily deny homeowners seeking to install solar energy systems.

We recommend that you install your hoa s solar panels and system in conjunction with a new roof since both have an average useful life of approximately 25 30 years. California has had the solar rights act since 1978 which has helped encourage the growth of solar in the state and is the basis for many other states protective laws. The main concern of hoa boards are that solar panelsmay drastically lower home values especially in cases where only a few homes within a community have panels installed. Per civil code 714 1 and 4746 the following guidelines apply.

This will help condo owners tremendously with solar adoption and its potential for clean energy savings. It includes protections that limit hoa ability to pass prohibitive laws but allows an hoa to impose reasonable restrictions on solar energy systems. Thanks to new laws california hoas can t obstruct solar installations on their properties. Examples of states that have enacted solar access rights laws including california utah texas arizona and florida.

In other words your hoa can not prevent you from installing a solar electric system on your property. Members have the right to install solar energy panels on a common area roof of the building in which the owner resides or a garage or carport adjacent to the building that has been assigned to the owner for exclusive use. The system must meet applicable building codes. Therefore owners are no longer are required to obtain membership approval of 67.

Civil code 4600 now states that solar energy system installations are an exception to the rule requiring approval of 67 of members before the hoa can grant exclusive use of any portion of the common area to a member.