Could a Proposed Law Reduce Power of HOAs in Michigan? Many Hope So

Homeowners or renters in Michigan usually hate the idea of paying high HOA fees to live in their home.

Other's like HOAs. They can provide security, community standards for home and yard maintenance or snow & ice removal. Or maybe they ban pets or allow only certain pets, etc.

See Also: Most Michiganders haven't tried this delicious sandwich invented in Detroit in 1985.

Half the time, nobody wants to run for HOA board member or president positions either. It's a thankless job to enforce rules in a neighborhood.

A Michigan Bill Could Mean Less Power for Homeowner Associations in Michigan

Apparently, homeowners are getting fed up with restrictions that seem subjective to aesthetics in the neighborhood, but really are essential to living their daily lives.

Michigan Legislature has proposed a bill to limit HOA authority when it comes to certain home or efficiency upgrades like these:

• Lawncare equipment or vehicle chargers
• clothes lines
• air source heat pumps
• ground source heat pumps
• insulation

• rain barrels
• reflective roofing
• energy efficient appliances
• solar water heaters
• energy efficient windows
• energy efficient insulation materials
• solar panels (rooftop, side of house, etc.)

The bill proposes the HOA's approval would not be needed for you to make the aforementioned changes to your property.

After all, charging your car, having a clothesline or rainwater barrel on your property seems tame.

Paying HOA fees to annoy yourself?

All of the items above are commonplace for many non-HOA Michiganders. And save people a boatload of money over the course of time, too.

Get our free mobile app

It seems ridiculous state legislators would have to create a law for this.

That said, it's clearly a problem within many Michigan Homeowners Associations or it wouldn't be happening.