California Law Solar Panels Hoa

Here is quick summary of the law.

California law solar panels hoa.

Secondly california s solar rights act california civil code section 801 established the right of solar homeowners to create an easement on their property to protect their solar panels access to sunlight across the property of their neighbors. Remove hoa control over solar installations. Code 714 solar water heating. Click to print opens in new window 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.

If a condo owner wants to install solar panels on their own rooftop adjacent garage or carport hoas can no longer prohibit them or require a member vote for. The mandate which comes from the california energy commission cec will take effect in 2020 making solar power even more common in a state that already boasts about half the country s solar generating capacity. The california civil code 714 provides the following. The california statutes see excerpt below is a relatively simple and straight forward law designed to make it much easier for residents of california to harness the benefits of solar energy through the installation of solar panels.

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. By now you might have heard that california passed a law requiring all newly built homes to be equipped with a solar power system. Under the new law hoas no longer have the authority to prohibit solar installations. How ab 634 changes hoa control over solar installations.

Thanks to new laws california hoas can t obstruct solar installations on their properties. 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. Therefore owners are no longer are required to obtain membership approval of 67. In addition all property owners in the golden state enjoy solar easement rights which they can carry out on a case by case basis with their neighbors.

Neighbors voluntarily sign the easement before it is official. They must conform to the state solar policy. Under the new law hoas cannot prohibit solar installations. This will help condo owners tremendously with solar adoption and its potential for clean energy savings.