Sustainable HOAs
Posted October 22, 2024
There is a lot of buzz about sustainability these days: many homeowners are replacing their lawns with native plant gardens, installing solar panels, and making compost from their food scraps and yard trimmings. However, residents of communities with Homeowners' Associations (HOAs) often face barriers to implementing these practices, and a growing number are wondering what they can do to help.
Chester County is working on developing resources to help HOAs be more environmentally sustainable. To better understand their interests and issues, the Chester County Planning Commission (CCPC) issued surveys for HOA residents and Board members to understand their level of interest in sustainable practices. A full summary of the survey results are available.
Additionally, CCPC hosted a Sustainability Summit for HOAs this past spring. Representatives from over 50 communities attended to learn from experts and other HOAs about ways to implement more sustainable practices. The Summit was followed by four virtual info sessions, each focused on a different topic: sustainable landscaping; stormwater management; tree and woodland care; and sustainability action planning.
For communities ready to begin tackling sustainability challenges, CCPC, with the help of numerous conservation organizations including the Chester County Conservation District, developed a template HOAs can use to develop their own sustainability action plan. The template includes over 150 actions that focus on improving water quality, advancing trails and multi-modal transportation, electric vehicle charging, solar power, converting lawns to gardens, and more.
Learn more about Sustainable HOAs or view the template and other resources for HOAs.