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Monday, February 11, 2013

HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION’S CRACKDOWN ON OBAMA LAWN SIGN TEARS COMMUNITY APART: ‘IT’S LIKE WE WEREN’T LIVING IN AMERICA’

Many housing developments have homeowners associations (HOA) that impose strict rules and regulations. While some of the stipulations seem silly, abiding by them is a necessity for those who wish to live within these groups’ bounds. A Fairfax, Va., family learned this lesson after they posted a yard sign in support of Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential run and the board ruled that it violated HOA standards. What resulted was an epic legal battle between the Farran family and the housing authority — one that inevitably led the board to bankruptcy, splintering the community and creating ongoing division among its residents.

While there is certainly no ban on the placement of political signs at Olde Belhaven, the development at the center of the debate, the placard that was posted by Sam and Maria Farran was four inches taller than allowed by the rules and regulations. When the board approached the family in the heat of the highly-contentious election season and told them to remove the Obama sign, the Farrans decided to simply cut the placard in half, with one side reading “OBA” and the other reading “MA.”

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6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yep. Dumb fools for that! All they had to do was remove the damn sign

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a great neighborhood. Just move.

Anonymous said...

9:45 is another kool aid drinking sheeple that missed the point of the article. Apparently the HOA was WRONG, at least according to the judge(s). So tell me again why they should take down their sign? Look up the word COMPROMISE. Most HOA’s are run by geriatric nazi’s who nitpick about everything in an attempt to convince others (and especially themselves) that they still matter. They get the power because nobody else wants to have their time wasted with such nonsense.

Anonymous said...

I would never move into a house that required joining a HOA.

Anonymous said...

945, you're probably one of the same ones that would be screaming "property rights" had it been a Romney sign.

Anonymous said...

Although I don't agree with their choice of a sign, I think their solution to the problem was rather creative!