Homeowners associations in New York will not be able to prevent the installation of electric vehicle charging stations on private property under a law approved Tuesday by Gov. Kathy Hochul.
The measure is meant to make it easier for homeowners to install the charging statiosn as New York seeks to transition to more renewable forms of energy and phase out gas-powered vehicles by the next decade.
The new law will allow homeowners' associations to have input on how chargers are installed.
"We are sparking New York's transition to clean transportation by removing barriers to owning and charging an electric vehicle," Hochul said. "It is not enough to encourage New Yorkers to buy electric - we must build green infrastructure that will drive New Yorkers to choose cleaner and greener modes of transportation. My administration will continue to advance our zero-emission transportation goals, and this legislation will benefit our climate and the health of our communities for generations to come."
New York is trying to reach the goal of 850,000 zero-emission vehicles within the next three years. All passenger vehicles sold in New York by 2035 must be zero emissions under a prior law approved by Hochul.
But in order to reach that goal, major changes in infrastructure — including access to charging stations as well as how power is delivered to homes and businesses — must be put in place in only a matter of years.
"In New York, we're setting bold goals for the adoption of electric vehicles. It's part of our strategy to reducing emissions as mandated by the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act," said Assemblyman Harvey Epstein, who sponsored the measure with state Sen. Michelle Hinchey. "But to make the switch, we must ensure we have the charging infrastructure to match."