This comes after the state just enshrined energy-efficiency measures for homeowners who live under rules imposed by homeowners’ associations.
The Homeowners’ Energy Policy Act will take effect in October this year. The effort was the latest energy reform codified into state law – all of which started with the 100 percent clean energy by 2040 standard adopted last year.
This recent change in law prevents HOAs from blocking its members from installing a wide range of energy efficiency measures at their residences, from rooftop solar panels and electric vehicle home charging to clothes lines and rain barrels.
“I’m not naive to think that this is going to solve the energy crisis by itself, but I think it’s a small step in the right direction,” said state Rep. Ranjeev, Puri, D- Canton, who sponsored the legislation.
Officials said residents of mobile home communities might be able to receive similar legal protections.
“For mobile homes and trailer parks, it would depend on the bylaws of how those are set up. And so, I’m certainly not opposed to looking into that,” Puri said.
More research is needed, he said.
Some mobile home communities in Michigan maintain rules that prevent certain energy efficiencies – like use of clothes lines and rain barrels – or require fees or inspections to install rooftop solar panels, EV chargers, heat pumps, energy-efficient windows and such.
The newly adopted law also prevents HOAs from requiring those types of fees to install energy efficiencies. Additionally, they cannot demand post-installation reports or monitor homeowners’ energy usage.
State officials said this could be relevant for Michigan’s trailer parks because it is important to ensure federal energy-efficiency grant dollars for low-income households are available to anyone who qualifies.
Kara Cook, Whitmer’s top climate and energy strategist, pointed to Michigan this year receiving $156 million from the federal government to reduce the costs of solar energy equipment for low-income households.
The Solar for All program helps pay for rooftop solar panels, community solar projects, and energy storage efforts, along with home upgrades like roof repairs that allow households to pursue solar energy.
That influx of federal funding already prompted talks with mobile home industry leaders in Michigan, Cook said.
“We’ve gotten outreach from different associations that represent those groups, just making sure that their residents can also benefit from things like Solar for All, so maybe it’s a conversation to have,” she said.
John Lindley, president and top executive officer of the Michigan Manufactured Housing Association, said he wouldn’t comment on potential legislation that doesn’t yet exist, especially because there could be important distinctions among the types of residences within mobile home communities.
“The difference between, for example, owner-occupied homes within a manufactured housing community versus those homes that are owned by the community. So, would those types of restrictions apply universally or just on owner-occupied? There are way too many moving parts and variables for me to comment,” Lindley said.
There are 1,033 licensed mobile home parks across Michigan, according to the state Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.
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