HOAs Cannot Bar Display Of The American Flag. Thank You President Bush!

[The ClayTaurus]

You should be able to do whatever you want with your property, within the boundaries of the laws of your city/ county/ state/ country.

Limiting what people can do on their property, for financial reasons, is bullshit.

I, for one, don't care if my neighbor wants to paint his house purple with green polka-dots. So be it. I may not like it, but it's his property.

I avoid HOAs like the plague.

But the fact remains that a purple house could very well tank your property value, and if people want to organize communities that prevent this, then so be it. Clearly the idea is popular with some. And again, no one sticks a gun to your temple and makes you move to an HOA neighborhood.

 

[Bonnie]

Exactly. You have control over what happens in your HOA. If you were so unhappy as to HOA policy I'm sure you could run yourself, right?

My point was that I doubt someone could move into a flag-friendly neighborhood only to have it switched to a flag-unfriendly neighborhood and have no recourse. I'm sure if you really wanted, you could even become a board member and change the charter so that all policy changes must be held to a public vote, if they're not already.

At the end of the day, you're not forced to live in an HOA. Just like if you don't like all the extra government of being in a big city you should move to the country. It sounds to me like a lot of people like the financial security an HOA brings to their property, so long as it doesn't ever interfere on what they want to do to their property.

Should you be allowed to fly a flag at your home? Absolutely. I have no problem with the resolution or whatever the thing was. But everyone gets all uppity about HOA's telling people what they can and can't do to their property when that's the very reason they exist. To keep you from negatively affecting other's property values, and to keep them from doing the same to yours. People, like always, just want it both ways.

If you wanted your HOA to just be responsible for maintaining common areas and have no say over someone's private property, then you should run for board yourself and work on implementing that change!

Sure running is an option, that said the HOAs are made up of several people, so you would have to convince the majority to go along with you. It's not as easy as becoming a member and making policy. The more practical solution to my mind would be having the residents go to the meetings and making a firm stand so as to convince the majority of the board to vote their way.

 

[The ClayTaurus]

Sure running is an option, that said the HOAs are made up of several people, so you would have to convince the majority to go along with you. It's not as easy as becoming a member and making policy. The more practical solution to my mind would be having the residents go to the meetings and making a firm stand so as to convince the majority of the board to vote their way.

Either way, you have control over the situation.

 

[Bonnie]

I'm a member of our HOA (and the Architectural Review Committee). We are elected once a year at the annual meeting. We can't change covenants without a vote of at least 80% of the homeowners in the subdivision.

As to the ARC, those policies can be changed with a meeting of the ARC and the HOA.

I am a firm believer and supporter of HOA/ARCs. Providing they remember why they are in place. Enforce the covenants and polices as to things that have an influence on property appearance and values.

The HOAs who have problems with an American Flag are not one of these; they are following a different agenda. Obviously the members of the board have a problem with the policies of the country or a personal problem with the homeowner. They are just using the flag as their way to throw their weight around.

Trust me. There are many rules and policies that aren't enforced on a daily basis. Example: You must get approval to make any change to the appearance of your home. That includes displays (signs, etc) in your front yard. When Christmas comes, we don't enforce it. When it's time to vote and people put political signs in their yard, we don't enforce it.

Exactly Zoom..Well said!

 

[Bonnie]

Either way, you have control over the situation.

Not necessarily!! Limited control on something like flying a flag is not control at all, and it should be.

 

[The ClayTaurus]

Not necessarily!!

Until you prove otherwise, I'm inclined to disagree.

 

[GotZoom]

Exactly. You have control over what happens in your HOA. If you were so unhappy as to HOA policy I'm sure you could run yourself, right?

My point was that I doubt someone could move into a flag-friendly neighborhood only to have it switched to a flag-unfriendly neighborhood and have no recourse. I'm sure if you really wanted, you could even become a board member and change the charter so that all policy changes must be held to a public vote, if they're not already.

At the end of the day, you're not forced to live in an HOA. Just like if you don't like all the extra government of being in a big city you should move to the country. It sounds to me like a lot of people like the financial security an HOA brings to their property, so long as it doesn't ever interfere on what they want to do to their property.

Should you be allowed to fly a flag at your home? Absolutely. I have no problem with the resolution or whatever the thing was. But everyone gets all uppity about HOA's telling people what they can and can't do to their property when that's the very reason they exist. To keep you from negatively affecting other's property values, and to keep them from doing the same to yours. People, like always, just want it both ways.

If you wanted your HOA to just be responsible for maintaining common areas and have no say over someone's private property, then you should run for board yourself and work on implementing that change!

This is just one of the many things that a homeowner needs to consider before purchasing a house. They look at school districts, crime rates, distance to work, property taxes, association fees, etc. They simply need to add the rules and policies of the HOA.

 

[misterblu]

But the fact remains that a purple house could very well tank your property value

So? That's the way it goes. I think they are needless entities that rob people of their freedoms.

If you don't want purple houses, put a city wide ban on them. Why bother with another layer of corruptible government?

 

[The ClayTaurus]

So? That's the way it goes. I think they are needless entities that rob people of their freedoms.

If you don't want purple houses, put a city wide ban on them. Why bother with another layer of corruptible government?

So now purple house guy's freedom is imposing on my financial situation. He might as well come up and paint MY house purple. Really not much of a difference, property value-wise.

FWIW, I happen to agree with you. I could give a shit less what my neighbors do to their house, and as such would prefer an HOA-free neighborhood. But I also understand people who want to live in cookie cutter subdivisions, being from one myself. If your neighbors hated you, they could hold your house hostage by refusing to take care of their lawn, painting their house an absurd color, and making a fence out of pink flamingo lawn ornaments. I'd find it kind of amusing that they'd trash their house that much for little old me, but I could understand how other people would just rather avoid the situation altogether.

 

[GotZoom]

So now purple house guy's freedom is imposing on my financial situation. He might as well come up and paint MY house purple. Really not much of a difference, property value-wise.

FWIW, I happen to agree with you. I could give a shit less what my neighbors do to their house, and as such would prefer an HOA-free neighborhood. But I also understand people who want to live in cookie cutter subdivisions, being from one myself. If your neighbors hated you, they could hold your house hostage by refusing to take care of their lawn, painting their house an absurd color, and making a fence out of pink flamingo lawn ornaments. I'd find it kind of amusing that they'd trash their house that much for little old me, but I could understand how other people would just rather avoid the situation altogether.

And it is a fact of life that the appearance of the neighborhood does influence home values. If you never want to move, then you don't care. But there are many people who are "working their way" up, either due to financial gains or adding people to their family, who need to sell their house.

 

[Bonnie]

So now purple house guy's freedom is imposing on my financial situation. He might as well come up and paint MY house purple. Really not much of a difference, property value-wise.

FWIW, I happen to agree with you. I could give a shit less what my neighbors do to their house, and as such would prefer an HOA-free neighborhood. But I also understand people who want to live in cookie cutter subdivisions, being from one myself. If your neighbors hated you, they could hold your house hostage by refusing to take care of their lawn, painting their house an absurd color, and making a fence out of pink flamingo lawn ornaments. I'd find it kind of amusing that they'd trash their house that much for little old me, but I could understand how other people would just rather avoid the situation altogether.

:rotflmao: Pink Flamingo lawn ornaments....I've seen worse

 

[jillian]

And it is a fact of life that the appearance of the neighborhood does influence home values. If you never want to move, then you don't care. But there are many people who are "working their way" up, either due to financial gains or adding people to their family, who need to sell their house.

You're absolutely correct. And the reason for "house rules" is so that every unit looks like every other. I've seen rules requiring that people keep their garage doors down except when moving their car in and out; rules that don't allow BBQ-ing; rules that don't allow the outside of the homes in a community to be any but certain colors.

If someone doesn't like the house rules, they shouldn't buy in a community that has them.

There are things far more onerous than not allowing flags... how about not allowing blacks, Jews, Asians or some other group? While rarer, these things still exist. Perhaps those things should be more of a focus than whether people can fly flags.

 

[ScreamingEagle]

There are things far more onerous than not allowing flags... how about not allowing blacks, Jews, Asians or some other group? While rarer, these things still exist. Perhaps those things should be more of a focus than whether people can fly flags.

There's nothing more onerous than not allowing our flag to fly.

Does it ever occur to you liberals that our flag is what represents that which PROTECTS you against such things as racial discrimination? Therefore wouldn't you agree that the flag is just as important as racial discrimination or *gasp* even MORE important? Or is that too hard a concept for a liberal to grasp?

 

[jillian]

There's nothing more onerous than not allowing our flag to fly.

Does it ever occur to you liberals that our flag is what represents that which PROTECTS you against such things as racial discrimination? Therefore wouldn't you agree that the flag is just as important as racial discrimination or *gasp* even MORE important? Or is that too hard a concept for a liberal to grasp?

You're comparing not wanting flags in a community with racial discrimination.

And no, I don't think the flag is more important than that because the flag is only a symbol.

Did it ever occur to you that if one flag is allowed to fly, then all flags would have to be allowed to fly in the same community? I, personally, wouldn't care, but how would you feel if someone flew a Russian flag or Brazillian flag or a ...gak... Mexican flag in a community where all the houses are supposed to look alike because that's what makes them saleable?

 

[Dr Grump]

There's nothing more onerous than not allowing our flag to fly.

Does it ever occur to you liberals that our flag is what represents that which PROTECTS you against such things as racial discrimination? Therefore wouldn't you agree that the flag is just as important as racial discrimination or *gasp* even MORE important? Or is that too hard a concept for a liberal to grasp?

The flag is a symbol but protects you against nothing....

 

[GotZoom]

The flag is a symbol but protects you against nothing....

Please don't tell anyone you are a veteran.

You are an embarrassment.

 

[Bonnie]

The flag is a symbol but protects you against nothing....

Well I will bet you there were an awful lot of people in Lebanon that were really happy to see the US flag attached to ships and uniforms..

 

[ScreamingEagle]

You're comparing not wanting flags in a community with racial discrimination.

And no, I don't think the flag is more important than that because the flag is only a symbol.

Did it ever occur to you that if one flag is allowed to fly, then all flags would have to be allowed to fly in the same community? I, personally, wouldn't care, but how would you feel if someone flew a Russian flag or Brazillian flag or a ...gak... Mexican flag in a community where all the houses are supposed to look alike because that's what makes them saleable?

Your answer - the first 2 sentences - floors me and leaves me speechless.

You libs slay me. Did it ever occur to you that they could allow only the American flag to fly?

The flag is a symbol but protects you against nothing....

Ever hear the old saying "out of sight, out of mind"? Ideas are VERY powerful...and we must never allow the American ideal die by hiding it.

 

[BaronVonBigmeat]

The american ideal ought to be property rights, freedom to make contracts, and a federal government that stays out of local issues. I don't agree with busybody HOA's, as they are mostly staffed by idiots and architecture review people who don't actually know much of anything about architecture...but you're free to associate and free to make contracts.

 

[Mr. P]

It's stupid for HOA's not allow their residents to display a flag, yet aren't conservatives the ones always spouting that the govt should stay out of peoples' business??

I agree. The US Governement has no place whatsoever in this dispute. More vote pandering, simple as that.