Your story is sadly common in many areas. And sadly, you may need a lawyer to ultimately resolve this issue. However, I would recommend several tactics for persuading your HOA to reconsider.

1) First, I would contact votesolar.org and SEIA.org, the Solar Energy Industries Association. This is a common issue and they may have resources that you can use.

2) You might call/contact your congressmen and Pennsylvania legislator, and especially the governor’s office. Gov. Rendell is very pro solar, as you know. Staff there may also have recommendations.

3) If you really want to escalate things and perhaps upset neighbors, call the local media. Your newspapaer and all of the t.v. stations. Point out that there is a very good solar program going on, but HOAs like yours are standing in the way of you being able to take advantage of the programs.

These are all arcane laws. California and other states have prohibited HOAs from prohibiting solar panels, and yet HOAs still sue homeowners, even here. Their cases are ultimately without merit, since the law is fairly explicit, yet HOAs still try and after some legal bills, the cases are dismissed.

As far as I know, there are no laws in Pa preventing HOAs from dictating to you about solar. Again, I urge you to contact the above solar organizations for more advice and after that… head for the media. Someone has to lead the charge against this injustice to our planet and your local environment and your realty “right of happiness”–I believe that’s a legal term, even. You may have to be the test case.

Please let us know what you discover so that we can share it here for other Pa solar buyers!

If anyone else has experience with Pa HMO’s, please leave a comment as well!

To my dismay my HOA has declined my request to go solar. My plan was to use my rear south facing roof with low profile black solar panels. No wires would exposed and the frames of the panels would be black as well. I guess it’s my fault to be this naive in thinking that a HOA could stop a project this important to our planet. It’s my understanding that I can’t even take the matter before the township without the HOA approval?!?

My local township is East Fallowfield, Pa just outside Coatesville and West Chester Pa. The HOA for Brook Crossings Development is two people and from what they tell me a Attorney that reviewed the HOA bylaws. They concluded “Section 6.1 of the Declaration, solar panel arrays are not harmonious in design with the
design of your unit or that of others in the community.” One of the problems with this statement is Solar Panels/Arrays are not mentioned in the declaration at all.

How can this not be harmonious, not only within the development but the planet as well? Is there any person and or organization that can help? Please I can’t just sit back and let this happen not just for myself but for those who will want to make a difference in the future!

This type of thinking has put this county light years behind others in the world. What can be of more integrity than spending your time and money converting over to clean energy and reducing your foot print on the planet, saving it for future generations to come.

I’m not trying to be smart or malicious but short of bringing our troops home safe, there can be no greater cause in this country right now.