R.G. from Hartford County writes:
Dear Mister Condo,
Are there any laws regarding solar panels in CT regarding HOA from not allowing installation of same?
Mister Condo replies:
R.G., there are no laws in Connecticut that require an HOA to allow solar panels. Generally speaking, HOAs are autonomous on this matter and the folks running the HOA make the decisions on whether or not the solar panels are architecturally correct for the community. That being said, if enough home owners within the HOA want them, solar panels are generally approved within the HOA but with certain governance restriction such as where exactly they may be placed, the responsibility of maintenance of the panels by the home owner and so on. Some states do have laws that prohibit an HOA from banning solar panels. As I write this column, Connecticut is not one of those states. I gave a similar reply last September. You can read that answer here if you would like: https://askmistercondo.com/shedding-some-light-on-condo-solar-panels/ Good luck!
I have a meeting with our HOA Board president on Thursday; I want to have suggestions on how to handle objections; we have 50 doors
J.J., review your state’s laws regarding the ability of your condo or HOA to limit solar panel installation via Architectural Control Guidelines or CC&Rs. If you have an association attorney on retainer, you might want to get a legal opinion before addressing association members. No reason to end up getting sued over a misinterpretation of the governing documents or state laws. All the best!