HOA says no US flag

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My HOA says that we can not mount a US flag to the front of our house. I'm not after anything extravagant, just a simple 6' aluminum pole with a 3' x 5' US flag mounted to the right side of our garage. Have any of you ever encountered this?! Of course I'm going to fight it, but was wondering if you guys had any advice. What in the &?@! Has our society come to when a US citizen has to fight to display a flag on his house?
 
You live in a HOA. You pretty much signed away your rights living there. What does the contract you signed say about flags?
 
If you Google Van Thomas Barfoot, a medal of honor winner, you can read his Wikipedia page and he had the same issue. Why is burning a flag protected under first amendment rights but flying one isn't?
 
Originally Posted By: FordBroncoVWJeta
You live in a HOA. You pretty much signed away your rights living there. What does the contract you signed say about flags?


It's pretty vague. It says that requests for flagpoles in front of the house will generally be denied. We wrongfully assumed that meant in ground flagpoles, they're saying that means flagpoles that are attached to the house
 
Originally Posted By: Reddy45
So fly it from the backyard then?


Seriously? You think someone should be able to tell a US citizen that they can't display their country's flag from the front of their house?!
 
Call the HOA and get clarification on the bylaw language. If they mean a big flag pole in the ground I can see why they don't want everyone with one of those in their front yard.
 
Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Call the HOA and get clarification on the bylaw language. If they mean a big flag pole in the ground I can see why they don't want everyone with one of those in their front yard.


I was told that I could do that and that I would have to lower the flag at dusk each day. They don't allow the type you mount on your house. The in ground setup is a bit cost prohibitive.
 
This is what is printed in the exclusions -

"Generally, requests for flagpoles will be denied. Attachment of flagpoles to the rear of the residence shall be allowed.
Repair, maintenance and operation of any approved flagpole is the responsibility of the owner"
 
I have to say that I'm quite surprised that no one seems upset that an HOA would try to tell homeowners that they can't fly an American flag
 
Originally Posted By: PW01
I have to say that I'm quite surprised that no one seems upset that an HOA would try to tell homeowners that they can't fly an American flag
HOA are know to be quite picky about stuff like that. There are some that don't allow cars to be in the drive away. I think its terrible that they would do that, but its their right to do it. If you didn't like it you shouldn't have signed. You signed up for that life. You can't fight it and expect to win if they said no in the contract.
 
Just for laughs I would put a Mexican flag out there and if they say anything (they probably wont) tell them they are discriminating against undocumented Americans and you will call the ACLU on them. Sit back and watch the fun.
 
Do they say that you can't fly flags in general, or that you specifically can't fly the US flag ?

re ihatetochangeoil's "point" do they also prohibit the lighting of fires in the front yard ?
 
Originally Posted By: PW01
Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
The rules are written in black and white.

Read them before you fight the HOA for a flag.


Unless I'm not reading this correctly, the state of Indiana says they can't stop me from displaying a flag -


http://iga.in.gov/static-documents/b/c/1/a/bc1a992f/SB0220.01.INTR.pdf


Ha... PW, I'd say put the flag up in your yard. Let them file a court case and try to take you to court. Looks pretty simple to me, the state law overrides the HOA since the state made the laws that allow the HOA to exist and to operate in commerce. I'd say you won't hear a thing about it! If they file anything against you that means the burden of proof is on them, and once you introduce the state law you posted into evidence, well, it's pretty clear.
 
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