• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Veteran says he's forced to sell home after HOA fines him for hanging US flag in flower pot

American

American

Trump Grump Whisperer
DP Veteran
Monthly Donator
Joined
Mar 11, 2006
Messages
96,099
Reaction score
33,416
Location
SE Virginia
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Conservative
Veteran says he's forced to sell home after HOA fines him for hanging US flag in flower pot | Fox News

A former Air Force air traffic controller said he was forced to sell his home after his Home Owners Association fined him for the American flag he hung in a flower pot outside of his residence.




Larry Murphree lived in the Tides Condominium Association, a community for individuals 55 and older located in Sweetwater, Fla., since it opened, the Washington Post reported Monday. One day he received a letter from the HOA at the building which told him to take down the flag placed in a flower pot on his porch.
Click to expand...
I was on the board of an HOA once. There can be some complete assholes on these boards.
 
American said:
Veteran says he's forced to sell home after HOA fines him for hanging US flag in flower pot | Fox News


I was on the board of an HOA once. There can be some complete assholes on these boards.
Click to expand...

I looks like he already had sold that home. But HOA's seem like big commie associations to me. I mean, I get why on some level they did exist because if someone's property goes to pot, ti can negatively impact another's property values. But they go too far, such as cases like this. HOA's should have their abilities drastically reduced and limited.
 
We could probably have a "no American flags" HOA thread every week. Generally it's no flags. If American flags are allowed, people let them rot and that pisses everyone off. Sure, the vet would take care but does the guy who bought one for the 4th? No. So they say no flags.

I figure it's worth spending more to avoid an HOA.
 
according to the article Murphree wasn't playing by the rules, then he took a gamble & refused to pay the fines.

It would seem that Murphree possibly retained questionable legal counsel.

being a military veteran should not preclude anyone from playing by the rules.
 
I'm not in favor of the ruling, however he either knew the rules prior to his purchase or became aware of a rule change at some point, as long as he isn't being discriminated against, he's got nothing to stand on. Move to a community where they value the American flag as he does.
 
Eh, aren’t we tired of looking for reasons to be outraged about something?
 
X-Files had an episode about a menacing HOA.
 
cuban smokes said:
according to the article Murphree wasn't playing by the rules, then he took a gamble & refused to pay the fines.

It would seem that Murphree possibly retained questionable legal counsel.

being a military veteran should not preclude anyone from playing by the rules.
Click to expand...

Amen.

While I am not a fan of HOAs (I'm in one myself and I hate it), as long as you play by the rules, you will have no problems. HOAs are like mini governments. If your HOA is too strict, you re-elect board members next year. If new board members are not re-elected, then you are in the minority and you have to suck it up. If you don't like the way things are done, find another place to live.

Besides, I'd rather have someone tell someone he can't have a flag in his flowerpot than have no HOA at all, and have some dirtbag with a 20 year old Chevy on concrete blocks sitting next to my home.

And I agree - his being a veteran does not preclude him from the rules that he agreed to when he moved in. My husband doesn't use this, "I am a veteran and you have to do this" mess every time he doesn't get his way.
 
I don't support mandatory HOAs. If you want to join the club after purchase, then that's fine. However, I've found them to be a waste of money, and I participate in mine.
 
Helix said:
I don't support mandatory HOAs. If you want to join the club after purchase, then that's fine. However, I've found them to be a waste of money, and I participate in mine.
Click to expand...

I hate mine. I do. We have to participate. We don't have a choice. When we bought our home, we were the 10th house built in our neighborhood, and we were told that the HOA was going to be very non-invasive, and only around to make sure that people keep their yards clean, no dead cars, etc.

It has turned out to be anything but. But I signed on for it, so there's nothing I can do. I can't complain about it because I signed on for it at the start. It would be like complaining about how hot it gets in Georgia in the summer.
 
American said:
Veteran says he's forced to sell home after HOA fines him for hanging US flag in flower pot | Fox News


I was on the board of an HOA once. There can be some complete assholes on these boards.
Click to expand...

1.) I dont agree with the HOA's rules and personally i think they are disgusting
2.) HOA's are stupid and nobody should belong to them ever in the form they exist BUT if you CHOOSE to do so then that is on you
3.) the article title is false there was no force here, this situation is of his own CHOICES and making.....
 
Last edited:
Helix said:
I don't support mandatory HOAs. If you want to join the club after purchase, then that's fine. However, I've found them to be a waste of money, and I participate in mine.
Click to expand...

They're suppose to keep your neighbors from hurting your property values but, they're selling dumps for millions of dollars in CA and elsewhere regardless their condition. :shrug:

Ours was inactive for years but, came back with a vengeance, making several property owners spend money to clean up their trashy acts.
 
I'd never join an HOA that would have me as a member.
 
Superfly said:
I hate mine. I do. We have to participate. We don't have a choice. When we bought our home, we were the 10th house built in our neighborhood, and we were told that the HOA was going to be very non-invasive, and only around to make sure that people keep their yards clean, no dead cars, etc.

It has turned out to be anything but. But I signed on for it, so there's nothing I can do. I can't complain about it because I signed on for it at the start. It would be like complaining about how hot it gets in Georgia in the summer.
Click to expand...

No dead cars? Why, They're just like a bonus room. :lamo
 
Helix said:
I don't support mandatory HOAs. If you want to join the club after purchase, then that's fine. However, I've found them to be a waste of money, and I participate in mine.
Click to expand...

The problem is the people who don't join will be the reason why HOAs exist - the ones to put cars in the front yard covered by a blue tarp (happened in one of my neighborhoods - we had them move it to the garage).

They're a mixed blessing/curse. The biggest problem is the people who run and want to serve on them are often (IME) bored, often retired people who want to exercise authority and get a thrill from it and so look for excuses to exercise it. We've always participated in the HOA, I've been on two different boards, and never had a problem. I'm sure in some places power hungry little tyrants are hard to displace but I've not seen it. Mostly I've seen apathy, then people complaining when a process they choose not to engage in doesn't provide the results they like or prefer. Kind of like government....
 
Superfly said:
I hate mine. I do. We have to participate. We don't have a choice. When we bought our home, we were the 10th house built in our neighborhood, and we were told that the HOA was going to be very non-invasive, and only around to make sure that people keep their yards clean, no dead cars, etc.

It has turned out to be anything but. But I signed on for it, so there's nothing I can do. I can't complain about it because I signed on for it at the start. It would be like complaining about how hot it gets in Georgia in the summer.
Click to expand...

Ours is kind of ****, but I've seen worse. It doesn't seem worth the monthly cost, though.
 
JasperL said:
The problem is the people who don't join will be the reason why HOAs exist - the ones to put cars in the front yard covered by a blue tarp (happened in one of my neighborhoods - we had them move it to the garage).

They're a mixed blessing/curse. The biggest problem is the people who run and want to serve on them are often (IME) bored, often retired people who want to exercise authority and get a thrill from it and so look for excuses to exercise it. We've always participated in the HOA, I've been on two different boards, and never had a problem. I'm sure in some places power hungry little tyrants are hard to displace but I've not seen it. Mostly I've seen apathy, then people complaining when a process they choose not to engage in doesn't provide the results they like or prefer. Kind of like government....
Click to expand...

My first house has no HOA, and no one has put up a shed I'm their driveway or anything. It seems mostly to be a way to milk a couple hundred a month from middle class suburbans.
 
Helix said:
My first house has no HOA, and no one has put up a shed I'm their driveway or anything. It seems mostly to be a way to milk a couple hundred a month from middle class suburbans.
Click to expand...

I mostly agree. Our neighborhood now has no HOA (it's a voluntary group with no power) and I definitely prefer that, but we have city codes that would deal with bad cases. In the other places, the HOA existed mostly to take care of the pool and the common areas (front entrance, a little 'park' in a flood plain and playground in another) and so 90% of our time was the pool.

My mom's in a very old neighborhood with a bunch of houses and an HOA with little tyrants and it's been a nightmare. They recently spent 70k of HOA money suing a family for their pool, which was/is beautiful, because it was too close to the lot line - lost the suit. That is the 3rd time they've done something like it. Thing is she doesn't go to meetings or do anything with the HOA. She's been there for 45 years and could get on the BOD easy, but she doesn't want to deal with it. That's how the little tyrants stay in power.
 
humbolt said:
No dead cars? Why, They're just like a bonus room. :lamo
Click to expand...

:lol: Yeah as long as it's in your backyard, surrounded by a privacy fence.

My HOA even tries to tell people what to do in their backyards, with privacy fences up. They go peek over fences. :roll:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom