Posted on 05/28/2009 7:19:07 PM PDT by Marechal
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.
I’ve argued till I was blue in the face about how they violate all that we hold dear regarding private property. A lot of people don’t care because they delude themselves into believing it protects the value of their house.
I’d tell that HOA that if any of them felt like they were man enough they could come to my house and try and remove those bumber stickers.
Something tells me the HOA is about to receive a lot of negative publicity.
Are they going to also make him take the bow tie off of his Chevy?
They are a blight on America's landscape; it is they who offend.
Can there be any doubt as to the sickness, that is Liberalism? Good Grief, America. . .come to your senses!
Condominiums can be great, so long as Condo-Nazis don’t take over.
he needs to immediately contact his local Marine Corps league
He can get round the clock protection for his car in 6 hours after that.
Also, how many HOA’s have the right to tow vehicles? If the vehicle is parked on the Vets property, I think the vet would be within his rights to protect his property!
Also, a preemptive strike, a letter or injunction against all local tow companies, might be in order here!
Hasn't done a very good job in the last couple of years, has it.
Good to know.
I thought Oba-Hussein might be the reason for the first shot of the new Civil War but it could be the the HOA (sounds the way it should, for a Marine cheer and also a shorter derrogative way to describe the association, too).
Gee, why didn't they go in person?
Wuss bunnies
You should also note that’s a PERFECT opportunity to exercise your right to defend yourself and your property... as you’re cleaning a gun.
Many hard core liberals simply do not understand property rights, self determination and the basic boundries needed by human beings.
I’ve seen some board members over the years go pretty overboard with wanting to enforce “rules” that WAY over way over the line. In most cases other board members check them with a reasonable perspective
In this case, it looks like the management company rep. and the President tried to get cute without board approval. Both should be summarily expelled from their duties and the management company should be disciplined by their state regulatory agencies and condemned by their business associations.
Sadly, everyone in the Association, and perhaps in HOA’s across the state later on, will suffer as a result if this idiot, moronic move.
During the years I was a Realtor, I recommended my clients avoid developments that have HOAs. If they insisted on living there, I insisted they carefully read the HOA by-laws. In VA, they’re required to be in the hands of the buyer within 72 hours of contract ratification.
Liberal totalitarian bastards are hiding under their beds.
Right there with you. The HOA in my area is giving my next door neighbor a hard time over his work truck being parked in his driveway. (he’s an electrician) Its a full sized van with roof racks - doesn’t fit in his garage. It’s a nice truck, I don’t see why anyone complains. If the HOA keeps up, I’m going to tell him to park it in my driveway a couple of nights a week. Then he can tell them it is no longer “permanently” parked in his driveway. They have to allow temporary parking of work trucks or nothing would ever get done. :-)
Nazis all.
I hear you. The subdivision I live in originally began an HOA, but never elected any governing members, and did not develop any charter or other governing rules. That was years before I moved into the area. I had my 5th wheel parked in front of my home for a short period after first obtaining it (I inherited it after my father’s death from a motor cycle accident). We were looking around for place to rent storage, which took a few days. A couple of neighbors got together and tried to force me to move it by putting an HOA letter in my mailbox that threatened me with legal action. I parked the 5th wheel directly in front of her home for most of a day, and then took it to the storage place. She nearly had a cow when she came home to find it in front of her house.
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