Veteran Larry Murphfree from Jacksonville, FL was fined $8000 and had a foreclosure lien placed on his home for putting a small American flag in his flowerpot – even though he had a legal right to do so. If he doesn’t pay within 30 days he might lose his home.
“I want it to go away. It’s such a minor little thing and they keep coming after me,” he explained.
“They” is Murphree’s homeowner’s association. He’s lived in the Sweetwater community for years, and been at odds with the HOA for more than two. All over a flag. The veteran decided to put one in his flower pot, and has been fined as a result.
“They just sent me a letter that says I owe them around $8,000 and they put a foreclosure lien on my house,” he continued.
Action News wanted to know how that’s possible, so we took our questions to legal and safety expert Dale Carson.
“There’s an actual Florida statute that says he can display this flag,” Carson said.
Federal law from 2005 also backs that up. We reached out to the law office that reprsents the HOA and got attorney Michelle Haines. She tells me if payment is not made within 30 days, the law office can move forward with foreclosure on Murphree’s home. – See more at: http://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/news/local/veteran-may-lose-home-over-flag-fight/ngRCt/#sthash.OTe76VXL.dpuf
OMG so unfair
Stupid! Rules for how ur allowed to display a flag. Unless he signed something that said that he can only display it in a certain way
Ridiculous! Would that happen to an illegal (or legal) from Mexico if they flew a Mexican flag? This is America for God’s sake – if someone is offended by it, perhaps they just need to leave the country!
Give me a break
His home his flower pot his flag and he is proud to be an American,.. God Bless him and United States of America.!
Rick he willfully signed a contract with an HOA….which I am quite sure had a list of ridiculous rules for how he could do all kinds of things. He agreed to those rules….
Point is that living in a neighborhood with an HOA is a choice that you make. if you don’t want to abide by the rules of the HOA, then don’t live in an area governed by an HOA. There are PLENTY of options.
His choice to sign a contract with an HOA, and agree to their rules. And if you actually CARE about the real story….other members of the community fly American Flags proudly because they are displaying their flags according to HOA rules and not just sticking it in a flower pot….
Max the other part you may not have taken the time to learn is that other members of that community are allowed to display American Flags because they do so in accordance with the HOA’s rules. He chose to ignore those rules and stick his flag in a flowerpot.
The HOA Shouldn’t be allowed to have uncons$#%&!@*utional regulations, either. WHAT could be be problem in “Flying a FLAG”?