A resident carrying a vacuum cleaner was puzzled when an HOA board member approached them with an odd question.
"[She] sees me carrying this object and asks, 'is that a generator?' and I inform her no, it is a vacuum cleaner … she says, 'oh just so you are aware, generators are against the by-laws of the association.' I look at her and clearly state again, 'okay, it's a vacuum cleaner…' and she just walks off."
Even more frustrating, the interaction occurred just after a tropical storm had caused the entire complex to lose power for a week.
"Even if it was a generator … the HOA can bug off IMO as your power is out for an extended period," one person commented.
Others agreed. "Right after a storm people tend to be really glad to have a neighbor that has one … my parents would let the neighbors plug in their fridge. That saved them hundreds," one wrote.
"Having been through a couple long outages with and without a generator, I never want to deal with one without one again," another echoed.
Extreme weather events are increasing in frequency and intensity due to global heating. Because warmer, higher seas make for more potent hurricanes and floods, research shows that major hurricanes have doubled since 1980. Several people pointed out that denying access to generators is therefore not only an inconvenience, but it could be life threatening: "I can't see an HOA winning litigation against a resident who needs power for lifesaving medical equipment," one person wrote.
"Right? Come right up! Charge your phone, power your fridge, for the low low price of your signature … to repeal this stupid bylaw!" another replied.
HOAs aren't known for implementing policies that are convenient — even ones that will save their tenants money and improve their quality of life, like planting natural lawns.
"[It's] been my observation that the HOAs that have an issue with generators are also the ones that think they can tell you you cannot have solar … may be worth a look at local/state laws and see if this has been legislated or not," one person advised.
If you're dealing with a problematic HOA, check out TCD's guide to fighting back. And if you live in a hurricane-prone area, you can take additional steps, such as weatherizing your house or installing a rain barrel for extra water.
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