Homeowner's Association Says USMC Bumper Stickers Must Go

[tt11758]

File this under "Things That Fry My Bacon!!"


http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpp/news/national/dpgo_HOA_Asks_Vet_to_Remove_Bumper_fc_20090528_2518563

DALLAS - Frank Larison is a disabled veteran with more than 14 years of service, including more than a year of combat duty in Vietnam.

The 58-year-old former Marine now finds himself under attack by his Dallas homeowners association for displaying seven decals on his vehicle supporting the Marine Corps.

"To me, it's being patriotic, and it shows that I served," the veteran told FOX 4.

The board says the decals are advertisements that violate HOA rules, and must be covered or removed.

Otherwise, the homeowners association for The Woodlands II on The Creek --- where Larimore has lived for eight years --- says in a letter it will tow the car at Larimore's expense. The board also threatens to fine him $50 for any future incident.

Larimore says the decals, ranging from the Marine emblem to Semper Fi slogans, aren't advertisements for anything. "You can't buy freedom," he reasoned.

Some neighbors are outraged.

"That is his identity," said neighbor Mary Castagna. "He goes to a lot of the veteran meetings, and it means a lot to him. Everyone else agrees with it; it doesn't bother anybody."

"He's in the Marines, and he's proud of it, and I don't blame him," said neighbor Paul Hardy. "If I'd gone through what he's gone through, I'd be kind of proud of it myself."

The letter from the board states you can't have any form of advertisement anywhere on your car on your property. FOX 4 cameras spotted bumper stickers for political parties, health causes, and other non-commercial interests on the property as well.

One board member said he was unaware the HOA presidents sent the letter and did not know of any issue with Larimore's vehicle.

"I will be looking into it," said board member Art Bradford. "I didn't know anything about this. I haven't seen this."

The board president was out of town and unavailable. The condo management company did not want to comment.

[TAB]

HOAs are the devil... the devil I tell you.

I could spend hours telling you storys... lets just say I'm at the point now, where if you live in a area that has a HOA, I will not work on your house.

[CJS3]

See what happens when a snivelling little man or woman (the assoc. president) get a little power (doesn't that sound like government). If there are any legal cost associated with this it will come out of the Homeowners dues. The homeowners association doesn't care because that's really their money, not the homeowners. The homeowners can just pay higher dues (or fines).

And that , kiddies, is how ALL government works.

[MikeBjerum]

HOA's are bad enough, but wait till you come across a community that acts this way.  When our child was showing livestock we would stay with my mother to save money on hotels (she lived ten miles from the State Fair grounds).  We were ticketed and she was fined for our parking a pickup in front of her home and putting a stock trailer in her driveway for five nights during competition.  These were police issued tickets and city administrator issued fines.  There are no signs concerning these "rules," but they give new residents a letter with all the rules and regulations of the "neighborhood community" upon moving in.  Since mom was renting one level of a two level home she may not have even received the information (she certainly did not remember it).  I fought the fines and won, but was strongly warned to never do it again. 

I could not believe that a fifteen year old dirty camping trailer in the driveway was ok, but a bright shiny brand new aluminum trailer labeled as State Fair Grand Champion was an "eye sore." 

Rant off ... Except to say if you ever open a business in Shoreview, Minnesota I will not patronize you.

[Texas_Bryan]

Our HOA is pretty tame, we park six cars at our house, two in the driveway, one in the garage, and three in the street.  We've got a basket ball goal in the street.  That's where is put my deer racks to dry in season, just tangle them up in the net and you all set.  Six bikes in the yard and we get a letter from the HOA once a month.  Never done nothing, every letter we get just gets a 'f#$% them' response and life goes on.  I've got a neighbor that parks 'his' cars in his garage and his companies truck, that's marked, in the driveway, he's gotten a letter and gave them the proper four letter response.  If I was this guy I'd tell them to write the ticket and we'll see if a court thinks this is advertising.

[Sponsor]

[Pathfinder]

Hell, I don't even like city ordinances, no way I would tolerate an HOA. When I bought my ranch north of Mandan, I found out there were covenants on the property - almost queered the deal. Then I found out the covenants only covered the number of buildins and the type of homes, nothing more, and everything was OK. It is the first thing I ask about when looking for a home now, after I find one that is interesting.

[tombogan03884]

HOAs are the devil... the devil I tell you.

I could spend hours telling you storys... lets just say I'm at the point now, where if you live in a area that has a HOA, I will not work on your house.

Mark this on the calander, IN RED, I AGREE WITH TAB.

Shocking isn't it 

[blackwolfe]

I wonder if an Obama sticker is allowed.  My neighbor down the street is Marine.  I really loved the sticker that he had that said, "Happiness is a belt fed weapon".

I greatly detest Home Owners Associations.

[Frisco]

My wife and I bought a home in an HOA community when we were first married.  It was run by a little tin-pot wannabe dictator.  I built a beautiful gazebo in MY back yard.  Upon arriving home one day, I caught him IN MY back yard measuring the distance from the block fence to the edge of the gazebo.  HOA rules stated any structures in the back yard must be 36" from the wall for fire access.  Okay.  No problem.  I built the gazebo 48" from the block wall.

Anyway, I asked him WTF he was doing in MY yard without permission, especially after ignoring the NO TRESPASSING sign on the RV gate leading to my yard (also written in spanish).

He said..."I am the HOA president, I can come into your house or yard anytime I want to!"

Let me just say he was "escorted" off my property (dragged by the ear, and dumped unceremoniously on his butt at the end of my driveway) and expressly forbidden to EVER return, or face "dire and harsh physical reprocussions".

20 minutes later, a deputy arrived at my door (called by the HOA president).  5 minutes after that, in the presence of the deputy, he was told again to never come onto my property.  About 1 minute after that, the deputy also told him, that if he ever entered my property again, he would be charged with trespassing, and if he ever entered my backyard, he would be charged with criminal trespass....that is IF I didn't beat him to a bloody pulp in the mean time.

Funny thing, in the three ensuing years we lived there, I never hard a word from him again.

BTW....the deputy who showed up at my house...was my academy classmate.  

[Timothy]

I always like this kind of advertisment....

Always Faithful.....