Homeowners Associations have a place, but sometimes they go too far, including this one.
According to a story on the 9 News Website, HOA says mother of fallen soldier has to take down flag, the homeowners association at Strawberry I at HeatheRidge is forcing her to take down her American Flag. Their reasoning, it is on a common element.
Mary Sims is the person flying the flag and she refuses to take it down. She is flying it in honor of her son who was a military recruiter and was killed in an accident. Her husband is a civilian working in Iraq for the Department of the Defense.
According to Colorado state law, a person’s right to display the U.S flag shall not be infringed “anywhere on an individual’s personal or real property.” State law though, does make some exceptions when it comes to personal displays of the flag.
According to the law “an owners’ association, the state, or a political subdivision may adopt reasonable rules and regulations regarding the size, number, placement, manner of display, and lighting of the flag, and the location, size, and height of flagpoles.”
Sims says that if they force her to take down the flag, then everyone else needs to take down wind chimes, because they are in the common area.
To me this is ridiculous. The American Flag should be able to be flown when and where a homeowner wants to. No one should be able to tell Sims or anyone else where or how to fly her flag. She lost a son serving her country and her husband is serving his now.
I fly my flag everyday that I can. My homeowners association does not care how much or where I fly it. I am glad I don’t live where Sims lives.
9 news tried to contact the board members of the association and no one would return their calls.
Mile High Soapbox 