Wichita, Kansas, resident Jeff Terhune sought guidance from his homeowners association before installing solar panels on his roof. Now, he's facing thousands of dollars in HOA fees and a costly lawsuit due to the location of the panels, The Kansas City Star reported.
Four years ago, Terhune reached out to his HOA for solar installation approval. After being told the panels could not be installed on the front of his house, he paid $19,000 to have the system installed on the back of his house and the side of his garage.
A year later, the HOA insisted Terhune reinstall the panels on the back of his house. After he refused, the fees started coming in, followed by the lawsuit.
Terhune wanted to install solar panels to reduce his power bills and his pollution footprint. Unfortunately, he's not the only homeowner experiencing HOA obstacles when trying to make money-saving and eco-friendly home updates.
Residents across the United States have battled with their HOAs over upgrades such as solar panels and native plant lawns. Such changes can save homeowners thousands of dollars and help the environment.
Solar panels reduce the demand for dirty fuel sources such as natural gas and coal, which contribute to rising global temperatures.
If you're interested in working with your HOA to change established rules that prevent eco-friendly home upgrades, the TCD HOA Guide has many helpful tips.
Negotiating with your HOA regarding solar is worth the effort. Going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy while reducing planet-warming pollution. Terhune has reportedly saved about $6,000 on his power bills since he began using solar.
Homeowners interested in solar panels can explore the free tools available from EnergySage to get quick installation estimates and compare quotes.Â
A bill considered by the Kansas House Committee on Local Government that would change the restrictions HOAs can enforce for solar panels caught the attention of Malcolm Proudfit, the CEO of Good Energy Solutions.
"This bill places the power back into the hands of individual homeowners to control their carbon footprint and to save money by accessing the abundant solar resource that we all have," Proudfit said, per The Kansas City Star.
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