How to Get Your HOA to Say Yes to EV Charging

by | Jan 6, 2022 | 0 comments

Homeowners don’t have to worry about their HOA preventing them from installing an EV charger on their properties. The infrastructure is usually out of sight in the garage or discreetly placed on the side of the house. Anyone living in an apartment or condo usually doesn’t have this convenience.

Apartment and condominium complexes usually have HOAs with strict rules and regulations. One of the rules prohibits tenants from making major modifications to the rental property. It includes installing personal EV charging equipment.

HOA and EV Charging

Getting an HOA to agree to EV charging isn’t always easy. But if you follow these three steps, you can improve your chances of the HOA agreeing to on-site EV charging.

Don’t Wait to Start Talking to Your HOA

Condos and EV charging mean installing technology on the rental property’s electric grid. There are a few reasons it’s a problem. You cannot give the service personnel permission to access the electric grid. It’s also a violation of your rental agreement to install EV charging infrastructure without HOA permission.

Instead of asking permission from your HOA, come up with a plan that benefits both parties. You can form a committee to research installation and usage costs, along with ways to ensure it does not come out of the property’s operating budget.

Talk to Your Neighbors

Getting EV charging at your condo increases when your neighbors are on-board. Find out who is thinking about buying an electric vehicle and if anyone owns one. They might be charging their vehicle at another location and are interested in your condo EV charging proposal.

The more residents that ask the HOA for EV charging, the greater your chances of them saying “yes”.

Create a Fair and Adjustable Condo EV Charging Plan

Creating a successful EV charging plan means including anything that may make your HOA hesitant to install the infrastructure. Two concerns you want to address are scalability and overall cost.

As you start to come up with your plan to present to your HOA it is also a good idea to start with a letter to your HOA. Don’t worry we have got you covered. In, How to Get EV Chargers for My Condo or Apartment, we walk you through what to put in your letter as well as providing a template you can copy and paste with a few adjustments.

Who Pays for the EV Charging Infrastructure?

Who pays for the EV charger is typically, you. As the owner of the parking spot or garage space, you are responsible for the installation costs. Point out to your HOA that the EV charger will help attract new tenants when you move.

You are also responsible for the cost of the EV charger. You can find inexpensive 110-volt chargers. It plugs into the wall outlet and charges your vehicle overnight. The downside is you cannot track energy usage.

Using smart apartment and condo EV charging solutions, you can monitor energy usage and reimburse the complex automatically. Using an automated billing system lets the HOA know you are planning on paying for the added usage.

Scalability for Additional EV Chargers

Your condo’s electrical grid can probably handle a few EV chargers but may not have the capacity to support all of your neighbors. Your HOA is less inclined to let you install one if everyone at the complex doesn’t have the same option.

Creating a scalable plan allows your HOA to see how installing EV chargers can benefit everyone. Here are three models that may work in your complex.

  1. Power Management: EV drivers can use power management to add more charging locations without overwhelming the electrical grid. The power is managed according to the number of stations, so you can install more without expensive electrical upgrades.

A Note: You need at least 4 + stations to start using power management.

  1. Hub and Spoke: Having residents pay for a separate panel for EV charging (also known as a hub) is one way to offset installation costs. EV drivers pay an additional fee to install a charger at their parking spot (known as a spoke). Over time the fees will cover installation costs, but not all residents may want to pay for a hub they aren’t going to use.
  2. Charging Fund: An easy and fair way for all residents is to have EV drivers split the cost of an EV electrical panel. The HOA authorizes the project, and you use the fund to pay all of the costs. A Note: There are significant incentives and rebates available for both product and installation of EV Chargers. Consider working with an EV Charger company that offers incentive and grant writing services. Apogee Charging Solutions offers both incentive and rebate services as well as grant writing services.

Consider Installing a Community EV Charger

Your HOA might be open to installing a couple of community use EV chargers. You can point out how smart charging technology makes it easy to collect fees for energy usage. The HOA can even set various rates for residents and visitors.

Understanding the EV operating system and your available billing and charging voucher options is a good start to planning for community EV chargers. We have an entire blog that breaks down the available billing structures, you can read it here.

Know Your EV Charging Rights

The laws vary from state to state, and sometimes by city. Some have laws making it harder for HOAs to refuse residents’ requests for EV chargers. The Right to Charge laws are active in California, Colorado, Florida, Ontario, and Oregon. The laws give tenants the right to install EV chargers in their parking spots when specific regulations are met.

HOA and EV Charging with Apogee Charging Solutions

Getting your HOA to say yes to EV charging isn’t impossible, but you will have to do some work to convince the board. Creating a plan that covers cost and scalability is a big step, and don’t forget to talk to your neighbors. The more people you have, the greater your chances the HOA will allow you to install an EV charger.

With the right charging partner, like Apogee Charging Solutions, you have a better chance of convincing your HOA of installing EV chargers. To speak with an Apogee Charging Solutions expert about EV charging stations for your HOA, call 484-816-2076, email [email protected], or you can schedule a call that fits your needs by clicking the button below.

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