American Flag! Free to Fly!

**American Patriot** · July 25th, 2006, 13:41

Here's a litte piece that apparently didn't make the Main Stream Media!

Free to Fly the Flag, Bush Says
Newmax.com ^ | 7/24/06

President Bush on Monday signed a bill that would bar condominium and homeowner associations from restricting how the American flag can be displayed.

Sponsored by Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, R-Md., the resolution would prohibit those groups from preventing residents from displaying an American flag on their own property.

It was passed unanimously by both the House and the Senate.

"Americans have long flown our flag as an expression of their appreciation for our freedoms and their pride in our nation," Bush said in a statement. "As our brave men and women continue to fight to protect our country overseas, Congress has passed an important measure to protect our citizens right to express their patriotism here at home without burdensome restrictions.

**American Patriot** · July 25th, 2006, 13:42

ABOUT TIME.

Homeowners associations are NOTHING but COMMUNIST bodies.

Get a life.

**SAdams** · July 25th, 2006, 13:56

Originally Posted by Rick Donaldson

ABOUT TIME.

Homeowners associations are NOTHING but COMMUNIST bodies.

Get a life.

Absolutely agree Rick.

I can't believe how many people are brainwashed by these homeowner associations.

I'll be damned if I ever let myself be subjected to one.

**Joey Bagadonuts** · July 25th, 2006, 17:17

I still find it in astounding that there would ever come a time when any American citizen would ever need a special law passed to be able to fly the American flag on their own property. This IS still America, isn't it?

I'm fortunate to live in a development that has a minimalist homeowners association. I checked into it before I bought my home. The following are some of the nutty things that are regulated by homeowners associations in Florida:

How long a period of time you may have your garage door raised.

The height that your window shades or blinds must be elevated from the sill.

The colors you may or may NOT paint the exterior of your home.

TV antennas and satellite dishes.

What type of vehicles you may or may not park overnight on your property.
(Yes, a development in Punta Gorda, Fl. bans overnight parking of SUV's, and pickup trucks...even if kept in your garage!) Some HOA mandate that pickups, full sized vans and SUV's be garaged when not in use. NO driveway parking.

The color and composition of roofing materials.

Flying flags...including the American flag. They've even banned in-ground flag poles.

How many child guests you may have sleeping overnight, and how many days stay they are allowed.

Childrens "lemonade-type" stands.

Some homeowners and condo owners associations seem to be breeding grounds for junior Nazis.

Fly the American flag and be proud of it!

**Ryan Ruck** · July 25th, 2006, 19:14

Just about every HOA I have heard of is a bunch of BS.

Funny story I heard about one guy (no idea if it is true or not)... He painted his house a color that was not on his HOA's pre-approved color list. They confronted him on it. He then went and painted his house according to the pre-approved color list... All of it! He painted his house every single color on their list! LOL!

Great news about this law though. Hopefully this will put a stop to all those news stories I have seen about such antics.

**falcon** · July 26th, 2006, 03:41

Well I have owned a Condo for over 25 years, so three years ago I was asked by one of the Board members if I would like to become part of the HOA Board. I ageed, and soon after that this guy moved to TX on a new job assignment. He was the Pres. so I got the job by the boards vote.

Realizing there are many rules that are stupid, I give you the following.

Every HOA rules are made by the owners, you have the right under law to request changes to those rules at your HOA Annual meeting, in fact many state (CA) require that the board must place the Rules and Reg's review as part of the annual HOA meeting. Once it is placed on the meeting agenda you as a Homeowner can request a review to change those items that you and the others wish to changes.

So this past spring we held our annual meeting, well only 6 homeonwers were at the meeting. This has been an on going problem at our HOA for years. All I hear when I do a walkthrough of the complex (6 units) this is bad, thats is bad. Well if you can get off your you know what and attend a one hour meeting once a month then I guess you don't know what it means to be a responsible person.

I walk the complex find paper, beer cans, soda cans that people leave around the complex.

Are rules are very simple, you can fly two flags (American and The state of Calif.)

Owners that have pets are rsponsible to clean up after their pets, if not a fine of $25.00. have alot of fines.

My point being people do not take the responsiblity to look after things and want someone else to take care of all this stuff for them.

Well as Pres. I will not stand for that type of action, so there is owners that want a nice place, so we now have a walk party and they have a camera. Once we get the picture (digital) we send the owner a letter copy of the pic. and a fine.

So the point is you as a owner have the right to get things changed, attend the monthly meetings. Remmber you pay the wages and the fees to the HOA.

Good Luck I will be glad to answer question.

**American Patriot** · July 26th, 2006, 13:30

Every HOA rules are made by the owners, you have the right under law to request changes to those rules at your HOA Annual meeting, in fact many state (CA) require that the board must place the Rules and Reg's review as part of the annual HOA meeting. Once it is placed on the meeting agenda you as a Homeowner can request a review to change those items that you and the others wish to changes.

Not accurate, 99% of HOA are formed not by the owners, but by the developers. Then they turn the association over to the homeowners. That's how it works in almost all states.

I'm not saying that you didn't form your rules, I'm just saying that the rules were almost assuredly pre-existing before there was even a board.

So the point is you as a owner have the right to get things changed, attend the monthly meetings. Remmber you pay the wages and the fees to the HOA.

You're correct. And things can be changed. However, sometimes the whole point of a home owner's association is to make people lock-step march in each thing they do. I won't move into an area like that, ever. I won't buy a house or property that has one. I've dealt with them, and I put the one where I live now out of business. They were trying to selectively enforce "rules".

When they threatened to take me to court over an antenna, I told them "Go ahead, I will be more than happy to be there, represent myself and I will show how you've selectively enforced the rule against me and no one else." Then I slapped down 2 dozen pictures on a table showing various violations of their "rules" on the board members' homes. The HOA vanished the next day, never to be heard from again. Most of them have since moved on in the last 17 years. /shrug

Good ridience.

The other organization I dealt with I fought over my properly for 4 years. I Finally gave up and sold the property for 3.6 times more than I bought it for. I never improved it because of their idiocy. Their "rules"... you had to have a house "approved" by them before you could build. That wasn't in the contract, but I couldn't build because of it.

The board members all had these big, huge houses built -- with all kinds of tree cutting and so on. They wouldn't let me build a smaller house and told me I had to clear some land. I refused... because I wanted the trees and it was too expensive to do. Turns out the guy that had the "contract" to clear the trees was a board member (his company did it). Another one owned the drilling for the wells, etc.

Nothing but a bunch of scam artists. I sold the land and they tried to stop me from doing that.

Screw that crap.

By the way, I DID go to the meetings and I DID try to change things. Many people did. We had no choice but to "abide by the board of directors' final ruling". Period.

Most of the people I knew in that area (which I didn't LIVE in I merely visited from time to time, and I DID go to meetings every few months when they held them) have since moved on. The area has died and those people who wanted their little "government" got it. The land sits idle and no one can sell much of it.

**falcon** · July 26th, 2006, 14:15

Rick, Sorry you had to go through those difficult times. Yes HOA rules are created by the developers and then given to the homeowners and yes there are pre-existing all true. However again thats why each HOA has an annual Homerowner meeting to review and change the rules. Also the are elected once a year so you have that time to vote.

Not accurate, 99% of HOA are formed not by the owners, but by the developers. Then they turn the association over to the homeowners. That's how it works in almost all states.

I'm not saying that you didn't form your rules, I'm just saying that the rules were almost assuredly pre-existing before there was even a board.

However glad you sold your house and got more than what you paid for it, did you possibly inform the new owners that purchased your home of the HOA rules and Reg.?

**Brian Baldwin** · July 29th, 2006, 00:00

What ever happened to "keep your nose out of my business and I won't shoot you in the ass"?

HOA's are a bad bad idea as a whole. Most are illegal anyway on some of their supposed rules. It's a good thing to keep in mind that at no time can any entity ask you to sign away constitutional rights. That includes those that govern ownership of personal property.

I'm certainly glad Falcon approaches this matter in a responsible format but the truth is.... His is a rare sight. I've dealt with these groups before and I can tell you that there isn't much they can do to enforce their rules if you have a good attorney.