Your flag is fine; it's your pole that has to go: That's the message being given Vietnam veteran Fred Quigley by his homeowners' association.
HA's may be the devil, but you made the pact with him ... live with it. I'll just bet that almost nobody moves into a house and doesn't know it's under the jurisdiction of a HA. Sign a contract, obey the rules.
Article I, section 10 of the Constitution says (in part): "No State shall ... pass any ... Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts ...". Note that when you buy a house, it typical starts when you sign a contract to buy. You sign a contract; a contract which no state can modify or impair. If the HA rules (that you signed a contract that you'd abide by) say no flagpoles, then no flagpoles.
I don't care if you're a Vietnam veteran chaplain.
My interest on this is related to radio antennas, particularly the ones used by amateur operators (hams). There has been a great wailing and gnashing of teeth that hams living in HA-controlled properties can't erect towers or even push-poles to mount antennas. And they're whining (yes, whining) that the mean ole homeowners association is going to hold them strictly to the strict terms of a legally-binding contract that they signed.
Look closely ... this is my sympathy face.
When I bought my first house, I made sure to tell my buyers' agent that I didn't want to live in a HA house, that I wanted to be able to go into my yard and take a big shit in the yard if I wanted (that's one reason I don't live in a city). Likewise, I can erect an antenna farm if I want.
It would be so nice if folks would just live with their decisions.
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1 comment:
I live out in the country for the same reason. Bad enough I have the government telling me what to do with the land I live on, I don't need any other tyrants adding their two cents.
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