HOAs are often barriers to sustainable landscaping and solar energy – here’s how they could be bridges instead

Many HOAs are designed with a uniform look, often featuring mandatory turfgrass lawns. JamesBrey/E+ via Getty Images If you build a house in the United States today, there’s a good chance you’ll be living under the dictates of a neighborhood homeowners association – roughly two out of every three new homes are in an HOA, as are a third of existing homes. Some of these HOAs have evolved to encourage environmentally friendly yards, particularly in the desert Southwest, but many more throw up…