Homeowners associations usually have a lot of power over their tenants — that is, until the power of the state prevails.
In 2019, Rick Freiman was forbidden by his HOA in Portage, Michigan, from installing solar panels on his roof. Six years later, the decision no longer falls to the HOA but to the state, which has adopted legislation invalidating HOAs' prohibition on energy-saving home improvements, according to WMUK.
For Freiman, it is more than good news.
"I thought it was impossible to do and now it's possible. It's very rewarding," he said as installation started in April, bringing him closer to a 100%-renewable-powered home, per WMUK. "... Get rid of the furnace, gas furnace, and water heater and so forth. And then have all that — everything's on electricity, then get my electricity from solar energy."
Freiman now hopes that his initiative will draw the curiosity of his neighbors and spur them to do the same.
HOAs tend to make the life of their tenants hard, as accounts of people complaining online of their restrictive rules attest.
Working with them can ultimately enable you to make cost-saving, environmentally friendly changes to your home and adopt a more sustainable way of living, from growing your food to planting a native garden to installing solar panels.
Solar energy company EnergySage has shown that no matter how you look at it, solar panels pay for their upfront costs in utility savings over time and eventually generate net gains in free electricity. Beyond the financial win, relying on solar power is one of the cleanest alternatives to fossil fuels, which burn to generate massive amounts of emissions and pollution.
Meanwhile, the Inflation Reduction Act can also help you save money on such installation through various tax credits, provided that President Donald Trump does not undo the climate package as he pledged to.
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