What Environmental Practices Are Allowed By The Homeowners Association?

Advancements in technology have improved the way the community website is accessed and provided many homeowners with more eco-friendly options than ever before.  As a homeowner, you may want to take advantage of those options to save energy and promote a healthier environment.  In a majority of homeowners associations, there are limitations on what a homeowner can do when it comes to environmental choices that nearby neighbors will view on a daily basis.

 

 

Residents that implement environmentally friendly features to their homes typically save on energy use while improving the indoor quality of their home.  Even though the initial investment is more, homes with environment-friendly designs have been estimated to save 25-30% on energy usage. 

 

The most efficient ways of doing this are to use Energy Star appliances, implement solar panels, and use natural light when possible while having adequate shading to reduce the need for air conditioning.  Generally, residents that are buying an existing home are limited as far as what they can do to make their home green.  If a new home is being constructed, design features such as solar panels can be integrated from the beginning to lower energy costs as long as the homeowners association approves of it.

 

 

Environmental changes are often noticed outside where some neighbors prefer to use chemicals on their lawn that are environmentally-safe or dry their clothes on a clothesline to lower energy use.  A homeowners association may require that your lawn is well-maintained or forbid clothes to be hung outside then you may be forced to use different chemicals or dry your clothes inside.

 

If aspects such as this are important to you, take the time to become familiar with the HOA’s environmental practices.  Regularly viewing the community website helps residents stay current about the environmental limitations as there could be a revision to a rule during a meeting.