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 $8,000 and they put a foreclosure lien on my house,” he continued.
Action News wanted to know how that’s possible, so we took our questions to legal and safety expert Dale Carson.
“There’s an actual Florida statute that says he can display this flag,” Carson said.
Federal law from 2005 also backs that up. We reached out to the law office that reprsents the HOA and got attorney Michelle Haines. She tells me if payment is not made within 30 days, the law office can move forward with foreclosure on Murphree’s home. – See more at: http://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/news/local/veteran-may-lose-home-over-flag-fight/ngRCt/#sthash.OTe76VXL.dpuf
I think all veterans of the U.S. Should stand up behind this Veteran and take any action necessary to take back our country.
Sadly if you belong to an HOA you are forced to live by their rules and regs and likes and dislikes. They are legal do$#%&!@*ents and people sign them of their own free will. Most do not read them line by line until it is too late. I have also found that the boards of the HOA are usually old folks that either have too much money and time on their hands or just do not like anyone that does not live as they insist. I do wonder what they do with the outrageous fines that they levy and collect…
Too weird
Enough is Enough come on ………………communist and muslim pres for you that who……..Traitors in the white house..
News flash….the president, no matter what his name, and congress can do nothing on this. The HOA agreements are legal and the people sign them of their free will…..but in ignorance most of the time as they do not read line by line. The courts also usually uphold the hoa on these cases when they go into court. My idea is to outlaw the HOAs for ever and ever.
Sick the way this c**p has got our flag means the way more to the true american people.
Camille, They CAN fly flags, as pointed out by Don Johnson. The issue is that they restricts WHERE you can fly your flag, and this guy doesn’t want to abide by those rules. Many HOA’s don’t want clutter in yards, so they regulate that you can fly a flag on your house, but not in your yard.
That said, it’s NOT uncons$#%&!@*utional for a private HOA to make these types of rules.
When did America move to the Middle East
Leave these patriots alone. Are you not proud of this great country. Why are you creating such trouble? Are you afraid you might offend someone from another country? This is OUR America. Stand up for it proudly.
Is this what America has come to?