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Posted on 03/10/2006 10:38:37 AM PST by iPod Shuffle
Woman Faces Fine for Supporting Troops
Sign on Her Home Will Cost Her Every Day That It's Up
WESTCHASE, Fla., March 10, 2006 — - When Stacey Kelley's husband, Army Pvt. David Kelley who is serving in Iraq, sent her a cardboard sign expressing support for U.S. troops overseas, she put it up in the yard of her suburban Tampa, Fla., home.
Kelley, 24, never imagined that it would raise controversy, or that she would be threatened with a $100-a-day fine if she refused to take it down.
"I've been in tears. I couldn't believe that they wanted me to take it down," she said. The Westchase Homeowners Association threatened her with the $100 a day for up to 10 days because the sign is in violation of association rules, but Kelley said she was ready to pay.
"If I have to pay, I'll pay the fines. My husband says the same thing," she said. "If we have to pay them, we'll pay them. If they're gonna try to give us more than a thousand-dollar fine, there's enough people out there that are willing to help me out."
It was an issue that caused a conflict for the association's president, who is also an Army reservist. Daryl Manning, an Iraq War veteran, said he hoped that some compromise could be worked out.
"I've been there. I know right where her husband is. I've been in [the] country. I was over there for 20 months," he said.
A compromise was reached Thursday night, but it doesn't mean Kelley won't be facing a fine -- just one a lot lower than the amount originally threatened. Instead, the seven-member board voted to impose just a $1-per-day penalty for as long as the sign stays up.
The fine will eventually go up if Kelley doesn't take the sign down, Manning said.
"There's a violation to have any sign in any homeowner's yard, regardless of what it says," Manning said.
Manning said the association's rules about signs, which only allow "For Sale" or "For Lease" signs, were in place to keep the community clean and keep the peace.
"The problem could arise where it could be a neighbor across the street or across the road that says, 'Bring the troops home. Get out of the theater. Cut and run.' What happens when that occurs? So we cannot make exceptions in this case," he said.
"All my neighbors told me this morning they're willing to go out and buy signs today and start putting them in everyone's yard because that's how it should be," Kelley said on Thursday.
Some neighbors said they didn't agree with the homeowners association's objection to Kelley's sign, despite the community rules.
"Of course, they say that there are rules, but in this particular case I think we should overlook that particular rule and give her the moral support," resident Ed Drost said.
"Gee whiz, the sign says, 'Support our troops.' OK?" said Merv Shiner, another neighbor.
It pays to read deed restrictions BEFORE you buy!
Simple solution: change the rule.
go to a sign shop and have large magnetic signs made to festoon your car with and park it out front for the world to see....
They knew the rules when they bought the house.
I live in an HOA. I love it. Keeps the neighbors from junking up their homes lowering my investment. If you don't like it, move.
>>change the rule>>
Not an option. HOA boards meet annually. A year could be $36,500 from now.
Bad title. It should have been "Woman faces fines for putting up a sign". It doesn't look like the content of the sign was relevant to her getting fined.
The Westchase Homeowners Association, as a private organization, has the right to make such rules (assuming the rules don't violate any laws), and the homeowners are legally bound to obey them. This rule, though, is one I think the HOA should change.
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I can only speak for my own HOA, but our board meets whenever the board members perceive a need for a meeting, or when one is requested by a member. The general membership meeting is held annually, but that too can be held more often if a simple majority of the members requests it.
Oh boy...
Another "Woman Arrested for Petting Dog" post.
I just hate mental-deficients writing headlines...
Simpler solution: Never join one of these fascist homeowners associations.
I guess you like living rght next to a service station on one side and a used car lot on the other. I've lived in Texas, and it's THUNDER DOME down there without HOAs.
If Stacey Kelley adds "Home For Sale" and "$10 Million" in small letters she should be OK.
All homeowners associations are socialistic, controlling monsters run by insecure people with no management experience.
That's why the association heads are so autocratic and small-minded. They have spent their entire frustrated lives trying to manage something and failed each time -- they can't manage at the office, they can't manage the Boy Scout troop, they can't manage their spouses or their kids. So, finally, when they get their spot on the association board they act like arrogrant pr-cks.
The lesson here is not read the deed -- they are all in favor of the association, not the owner -- but to not buy a home with a homeowners association.
I completely agree with you. I would never want to live in a place where I am told I can't put up an American flag!
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