New Mexico's Solar Rights Act protects solar in Las Cruces: HOAs and the city cannot effectively prohibit solar collectors, and any covenant recorded after July 1, 1978 that blocks solar is void. Reasonable placement rules are allowed; historic districts are the exception.
Under New Mexico's Solar Rights Act (NMSA §§47-3-1 to 47-3-5) and NMSA §3-18-32, neither a homeowners association nor a municipality may effectively prohibit installing a solar collector. Any covenant, restriction, or deed condition effective after July 1, 1978 that effectively prohibits solar is void and unenforceable. An HOA may adopt reasonable placement and aesthetic rules, but a 2011 New Mexico Attorney General opinion holds it may not make solar unreasonably difficult or costly. The one statutory exception lets cities regulate solar placement in historic districts — in Las Cruces that means the South Mesquite Overlay District (LDC Sec. 38-49.2).
An HOA covenant that bans or effectively prohibits solar is void and unenforceable, so a homeowner may install despite denial; only reasonable placement rules and historic-district review remain enforceable.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
las-cruces-nm
Las Cruces lets residents put up holiday decorations without a permit. Under the Land Development Code, decorations for national holidays and community festi...
las-cruces-nm
Las Cruces caps garage and yard sale signs at 3 square feet. Under Land Development Code Sec. 36-84, off-premises directional signs are allowed only during t...
las-cruces-nm
Las Cruces allows political signs up to 32 square feet each. Under Land Development Code Sec. 36-86, signs may go up no sooner than 90 days before an electio...
las-cruces-nm
Las Cruces does not register or inspect standard long-term rentals, and conventional landlords need no city rental license. Only short-term rentals must regi...
las-cruces-nm
Las Cruces has no just-cause eviction law. New Mexico's Uniform Owner-Resident Relations Act governs: a landlord may end a month-to-month tenancy with 30 day...
las-cruces-nm
Las Cruces has no rent control. New Mexico's Rent Control Prohibition Act (NMSA 47-8A-1, enacted 1991) bars every city and county from capping rent on privat...
See how Las Cruces's hoa restrictions rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.