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 $8,000 and they put a foreclosure lien on my house,” he continued.
Action News wanted to know how that’s possible, so we took our questions to legal and safety expert Dale Carson.
“There’s an actual Florida statute that says he can display this flag,” Carson said.
Federal law from 2005 also backs that up. We reached out to the law office that reprsents the HOA and got attorney Michelle Haines. She tells me if payment is not made within 30 days, the law office can move forward with foreclosure on Murphree’s home. – See more at: http://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/news/local/veteran-may-lose-home-over-flag-fight/ngRCt/#sthash.OTe76VXL.dpuf
This is why our nation is spiralling out of controll.
Because Adults sign contracts with HOA’s without reading the rules?
what bunch of idiots would stop the man from having a flag??? traitors
Max, it’s really simple…a person has a choice to live in or not live in an HOA community. It’s simple…you don’t want to abide by the rules (by the way, every homeowner gets a set of Covenants prior to purchase) choose to buy outside of an HOA.
Win-win…
Jason Snowden , if that is what’s in the governing do$#%&!@*ents of your HOA…then yes….
This is an outrage he fought for that flag so these $#%&!@*wipes could be free how dare they!
Max Day before you buy a house in an HOA you know the community is governed by an HOA. Prior to the purchase, it is required by law the prospective home owner receive a copy of the governing do$#%&!@*ents. If they choose to not read the do$#%&!@*ent…that’s their fault.
Let’s go paint the HA building like a flag
Richard Mullen, an HOA can amend, add or delete any rule they want. The process is spelled out precisely how the HOA (made up of every homeowner in the community) does this. Generally the threshold is high…60-75% of home owners have to agree to a rule addition or subtraction….unless 60-75% agredd to reduce that threshold.
Rick Jahn, there ARE rules for how to display the Flag. You can find these rules in section 1 of $#%&!@*le 4 of the United States Code (4 U.S.C. § 1 et seq). This etiquette is as applied within U.S. jurisdiction. In other countries and places, local etiquette applies.