Athena and Bob Bauerle of Hilltown Township thought they were within the restrictions of their homeowners’ association (HOA) when they installed solar panels on their roof. The community oversight committee not only disagreed but called for the removal of the technology. The matter has now reached the court system, reports Michaelle Bond for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

When the Bauerles overlaid their shingles with the technology to collect the sun’s rays, they ensured the panels covered the rear of the roof only, complying with the HOA’s current installation requirements.

Since then, however, the HOA polled several neighbors about the overall aesthetic of solar panels and decided they were disallowed wholesale, regardless of placement.

More than that, they required that the Bauerle family remove the photovoltaic cells.

The couple balked.

They had already invested in the technology, they argued, using funds from retirement accounts to fund the purchase and installation. And they had complied with the rules of the neighborhood at the time.

As the case navigates the judicial system, the resulting standoff has made the Bauerles uncomfortable in their own home.

“It’s been an absolute nightmare,” Bob said. “I will probably never, ever again live in a neighborhood with an HOA because of this.”

More on the pluses and minuses of a homeowners’ association is at The Philadelphia Inquirer.