As demand for electric vehicles increases around the country, a new type of policy is gaining popularity – and could have a significant impact on rental housing providers.
Originally constructed as a measure to allow the installation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in condominiums and other homeowners’ association developments, “Right to Charge” laws have enabled charging infrastructure deployment in rental housing - provided that the resident is willing to pay the costs.
More recently, this legislation has been adapted to require rental housing providers to accept a resident’s request to install electric vehicle chargers in the property’s parking spaces. California and Colorado, for example, have already enacted Right to Charge laws for rental property owners. Similar legislation is currently working its way through the Connecticut legislature.
These rental Right to Charge laws still maintain the resident’s obligation to pay for all costs of the charging equipment, an essential provision for the policy’s feasibility for the rental industry. The National Apartment Association (NAA) will continue to monitor the development of these laws around the country.
To learn more about clean energy policy, please contact Ben Harrold, NAA’s Manager of Public Policy.