Current Events > My HOA is saying I can't have a solar roof installed on the house, however...

(+) Yeah! (+)

They have rules specifically pertaining to solar panels and basically says they're allowed. Then they have a separate set of rules that specifically pertain to energy efficient roofing.

The rules for energy efficient roofing state that the roofing needs to match the color, design, aesthetic, etc. of neighboring properties. They're saying they consider the solar roof shingles energy efficient roofing even though the solar roof shingles would be solar panels. So I'm appealing the decision to see if they'll recognize that there is a difference between basic energy efficient roofing that just keeps the home cooler and an actual solar roof where the roof tiles would actually be solar panels.

And just a little bit ago, I found Texas House Bill No. 362, which was passed in 2011. This law says HOA's can't preventing home owners from installing solar energy devices as long as they meet certain requirements.

https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/82R/billtext/html/HB00362F.htm

My job also pays for us to get legal advice, so I'm gonna make some calls tomorrow. I'll probably also reach out to my congressman's office.

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shouldnta had the HOA

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Robot2600 posted...

shouldnta had the HOA

screw the HOA. especially over that rule.
especially if what TC is doing was allowed in the first place.
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Fuck HOAs

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Robot2600 posted...

shouldnta had the HOA

In San Antonio, it seemed to be a choice between getting a really old home with no warranty that would need lots of fixing or getting a new home with an HOA.

I'm thinking I'll be able to win this fight. My hopes were crushed earlier today when they approved the project with those dumb conditions, but if they can't legally prevent me from installing a solar roof, then that's my ace in the hole.

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Sounds like you should file some complaints about their roofs not matching yours when youre done.

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Local, state, and federal laws supercede hoa's

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So it looks like section 202.011 is what they're using as justification... But this law was written before solar roofs were available for consumers. So hopefully they'll make an exception. If not, I may call my congressman's office to see how to get the law amended.

Sec. 202.011. REGULATION OF CERTAIN ROOFING MATERIALS.

A property owners' association may not include or enforce a provision in a dedicatory instrument that prohibits or restricts a property owner who is otherwise authorized to install shingles on the roof of the owner's property from installing shingles that:
(1) are designed primarily to:
(A) be wind and hail resistant;
(B) provide heating and cooling efficiencies greater than those provided by customary composite shingles; or
(C) provide solar generation capabilities; and
(2) when installed:
(A) resemble the shingles used or otherwise authorized for use on property in the subdivision;
(B) are more durable than and are of equal or superior quality to the shingles described by Paragraph (A); and
(C) match the aesthetics of the property surrounding the owner's property.

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Can't you just get a petition going to challenge that and get your solar panels installed?

I feel like there's always ways around this shit if it's falling down to one or two households blocking you from getting stuff like this installed.

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Hexenherz posted...

I feel like there's always ways around this shit if it's falling down to one or two households

it's a game they play. wanting to be the asshole on the block or the bad neighbor (they have those).
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When the houding market calms down i am specifically looking for a house that has no hoa

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Hexenherz posted...

Can't you just get a petition going to challenge that and get your solar panels installed?

I feel like there's always ways around this shit if it's falling down to one or two households blocking you from getting stuff like this installed.

I'm going the route of appealing with the HOA first to see if they can make an exception. If they don't, they're clearly just throwing their hands up in the air and relying on the text of the law even though it doesn't give consideration for solar roof tiles.

If they refuse to budge, then it's time to try to get the law updated.

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My two rules when looking for a new place to live.

1. No HOA
2. It must have a sewer system.

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I would never live in a HOA area

Trumpo posted...

I would never live in a HOA area

It's all hit or miss. Mine has some rules about submitting design plans for changes and stuff and no one follows them unless it's a serious house addition or something

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littlebro07 posted...

Fuck HOAs

^

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So what's the benefit of these compared to a traditional solar panel? The look?

Either way, probably smart to get these on this Texas grid smh.

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Do they have a rule about covering you're entire front yard with solar panels?

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Were_Wyrm posted...

Do they have a rule about covering you're entire front yard with solar panels?

I'm guessing it would kill the grass that we have to maintain

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I hated my HOA for the short while I lived in one. But there are many people that love them. They provide a form of community upkeep that a lot of people value and they think the monthly fee is a perfectly justified for it.

They're also the kind of people that tend to conform to community standards anyways so they have no problem meeting the HOA restrictions.

Typically the people that don't like HOAs are those who are more likely to do something unconventional with their property, or "muh freedom" type of people that just don't like the concept of adhering to a neighborhood government.

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Zanzenburger posted...

I hated my HOA for the short while I lived in one. But there are many people that love them. They provide a form of community upkeep that a lot of people value and they think the monthly fee is a perfectly justified for it.

They're also the kind of people that tend to conform to community standards anyways so they have no problem meeting the HOA restrictions.

Typically the people that don't like HOAs are those who are more likely to do something unconventional with their property, or "muh freedom" type of people that just don't like the concept of adhering to a neighborhood government.

Yeah, I'd say the solar roof thing is definitely unconventional. I don't want to just do solar panels because it'll probably be pretty hard, or at the very least even more expensive, to upgrade to a solar roof down the line.

I see in the current state law that they pulled the text for the approval conditions from, but... It was written years before solar roofs were a thing for home owners, so I'm hoping I can get an exception.

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If nothing else, mad shout outs to you for putting in the work on this.

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CyricZ posted...

If nothing else, mad shout outs to you for putting in the work on this.

Thanks, man. I feel like all of my time spent dealing with AT&T was training for this.

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It should be illegal to be forced to join an HOA and HOA members should have a right to leave it.

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Is a HOA some kind of legal entity or something? Like I never bothered to find out what a home owners association really is but ya'll are making it sound like... a group of landlords that can tell you what you can and can't do with your own home.

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DoomSwell posted...

Is a HOA some kind of legal entity or something? Like I never bothered to find out what a home owners association really is but ya'll are making it sound like... a group of landlords that can tell you what you can and can't do with your own home.

I don't really understand it too much, but it's basically a group of people that get together and write bylaws for a particular neighborhood.

I could understand them restricting me from doing this if it was a condo and multiple homes shared a single roof structure... But I own my roof and I feel like I should be able to just do this.

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Why not just get the pannels?

Get the panels and install them in a gigantic middle finger shape.

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So I'm not getting any response from the HOA property manager. I've called multiple times, can't leave a voicemail. She isn't responding to emails either. I raised a question about what happens if I just have the work done since she won't answer... I'm told I can dispute any and all fines in that situation because the HOA did not adequately respond.

So I may keep that in my back pocket for now.

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The HOA is overreaching, solar panels are not the same as energy efficient roofing.
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Cocytus posted...

Why not just get the pannels?

If I just got solar panels, there would be much less surface area generating power from the sun than if the whole roof was doing it. It would also be much more expensive if not impossible to get any company to take the solar panels off the roof and install the solar roof once it's specifically allowed by state law.

Basically, I don't want to settle for anything but the best current standard in this regard. Especially since doing an upgrade to what I want in the first place would likely be pretty difficult.

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I'm reaching out to my state congressman now to see about getting the law amended.

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CableZL posted...

I'm reaching out to my state congressman now to see about getting the law amended.

Good working

this is riveting

Tesla says they would be willing to move forward without HOA approval. I'm gonna give the HOA until next friday to actually respond. If they don't, I might send them a certified letter notifying them that I'm moving forward with the installation due to a lack of response from the HOA property manager and others.

Trying to get this done before the next freeze, lol.

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