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Homeowners Association’s Crackdown on Obama Lawn Sign Tears Community Apart: ‘It’s Like We Weren’t Living in America’

Feb. 11, 2013 7:53am Billy Hallowell

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.”

The couple knew that their signs were too large, but they felt that the attack was, more than anything else, an assault on free speech. As they doubled-down with their sign-cutting prank, the board, too, geared up for a fight. After passing a rule that residents in violation of HOA policies could be fined up to $900.00, the situation intensified.

Obama Yard Sign Sparks Fight Between Sam and Marcia Farran and Olde Belhaven Homeowners Association

Photo Credit: Flickr/animantis

The Farrans believed that the fining action was illegal, however HOA leaders held that they were entirely within their bounds to take such action against the family. After the fine was levied and the board subsequently rejected the family’s proposed deck and roof projects, Sam and Marcia decided to take action. They sued, arguing that the fines were not legal and that the projects they proposed were rejected out of retaliation over the Obama sign debacle.

“It’s like we weren’t living in America,” Maria told the Washington Post. “You are always one board election away from a tyranny. They wield enormous power.”

The Post has more about the legal battle’s ongoing impact on the community:

The legal fight consumed Olde Belhaven.

The Farrans said HOA backers told them to move. They found bullets in their yard. Someone implored a priest at their church to prevail on the Farrans to stop the lawsuit. A local real estate agent said the infighting was scaring off some home buyers.

“It was a crusade,” a supporter of the Farrans said.

On the other side, board members said that the Farrans were unreasonable and that they declined numerous offers to begin settlement discussions. And as the case ground on, the HOA increased dues from $650 a year to about $3,500, mostly to cover legal fees.

The board’s former president, Jim LeBlanc, said the situation put a strain on some elderly residents living on fixed incomes. “Some had their health impacted,” LeBlanc said. “There’s a sense of, what is it going to take to resolve this? This was a tragic nightmare.”

Of course, there are two sides to every story. Just as the HOA claims to made attempts to settle, so do the Farrans. Both sides clearly believed that they were in the right, though, leaving little room for negotiation and agreement. The stalemate brought the entire community into the ugly battle — one that has financially-ruined the HOA.

In 2010, the Farrans won their case surrounding the fines and in 2011, a judge ruled that the decision to reject the deck and roof was improper, because the determination was made at a closed meeting that didn’t follow protocol. In the end, the HOA was forced to pay the Farrans’ legal fees as well as hundreds of thousands of their own court costs. To settle these debts and stay afloat, the HOA has been forced to put the community square, land where residents would gather to celebrate holidays and have picnics, up for sale.

Currently, the sale of this land is up in the air and the board is in bankruptcy. Residents hope that a sense of community will return, but, for now, the debate that was sparked over an Obama yard sign has left Olde Belhaven fractured.

(H/T: The Atlantic)

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Comments (236)

Brensdad
Posted on February 11, 2013 at 10:55am
The rules set by HOAs sometimes confound me, but people that complain about their HOA’s rules remind me of celebrities that complain about their lack of privacy. You knew what you were getting into.

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panick
Posted on February 11, 2013 at 10:54am
In reality, the Farrahs are zombies or Zobamabies. They’re already blatent enough to think rules don’t apply to them. I have no sympathy for zombies. Like most left wing whiners and illegal aliens, they want what they want when they want and will stomp and cry and scream discrimination until they get it. HOA’s are designed to block out as much of the obnoxious tendencies from these types as possible.

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repairsea
Posted on February 11, 2013 at 10:53am
Move.

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Snaker
Posted on February 11, 2013 at 10:52am
So…. prospective home buyers, did you learn anything from this little exercise???

Buy into an HOA, and you GIVE UP the freedoms to manage your own property….

READ THE CONTRACT! You don’t like it? Don’t buy it! … You DO buy it?
You’re STUCK with it….

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David-FL
Posted on February 11, 2013 at 10:51am
I live in an HOA Subdivision. I LOVE it! Hey, I spent a lot of money to live where I live and I don’t want my neighbors leaving their Trash Cans at the curb all week, or stored in front of their garage door, weeds over running their yards, insufficient beautification planting, a boat or truck parked in the front yard, or some idiot painting his house day glo pink!

If you don’t want to deal with an HOA, don’t move in to one!

I appreciate my (deed restricted) Subdivision becaue they are helping me reatin (some) value in my investment.

If you do move into one. FOLLOW THE RULES YOU AGREED TO FOLLOW WHEN YOU MADE THE PURCHASE… and that includes Sign dimensions!

@bobthemoron… You sir, are NO MORON!!!

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DREDGE
Posted on February 11, 2013 at 10:50am
Why did you sign up to the rules, move in, disregard the rules, and bitch like hell about the enforcement that you agreed to before moving in????? Typical liberal disregard!!!!! Hope your the first victim of a drone attack!!!!!

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David-FL
Posted on February 11, 2013 at 10:50am
I live in an HOA Subdivision. I LOVE it! Hey, I spent a lot of money to live where I live and I don’t want my neighbors leaving their Trash Cans at the curb all week, or stored in front of their garage door, weeds over running their yards, insufficient beautification planting, a boat or broken down truck parked in the front yard, or some idiot painting his house day glo pink!

If you don’t want to deal with an HOA, don’t move in to one!

I appreciate my (deed restricted) Subdivision becaue they are helping me reatin (some) value in my investment.

If you do move into one. FOLLOW THE RULES YOU AGREED TO FOLLOW WHEN YOU MADE THE PURCHASE… and that includes Sign dimensions!

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David-FL
Posted on February 11, 2013 at 10:48am
I live in an HOA Subdivision. I LOVE it! Hey, I spent a lot of money to live where I live and I don’t want my neighbors leaving their Trash Cans at the curb all week, or stored in front of their garage door, weeds over running their yards, insufficient beautification planting, a boat or broken down truck in their front yard, or some idiot painting his house day glo pink!

If you don’t want to deal with an HOA, don’t move in to one! Simple.

I appreciate my (deed restricted) Subdivision becaue they are helping me reatin (some) value in my investment.

If you do move into one. FOLLOW THE RULES YOU AGREED TO FOLLOW WHEN YOU MADE THE PURCHASE… and that includes Sign dimensions!

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mtsnj
Posted on February 11, 2013 at 10:47am
Obviousl;y that HOA needs to be replaced if it hasn’t already. Their legal counsel led them adrift should have played nice in the sand box fellas.

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LibertyGoddess
Posted on February 11, 2013 at 10:47am
Although the HOA didn’t exercise judgment, here is the main message I get every time a libby is involved:

I’m special and don’t have to follow the rules because (pick all that apply):

I’m gay.
I’m black/brown/purple (anything other than white).
I’m against Christians but support religious freedom for all other religions.
I was abused as a child.
I’m a lesbian who is smarter than all men combined.
I’m an Obama lover and my sign is 4″ too much.
I hate guns.
I hate personal freedoms that are not my own.
I hate America and I hate the constitution. That makes me a freedom fighter.
Of course non-Americans should take the jobs of Americans. I believe it!

Seriously folks, it’s too late to “save them”. Start prepping now, we cannot escape the consequences of this scourge on our land. I want to puke to think what my children and grandchildren will eventually have to endure. This can only end badly.

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glnman
Posted on February 11, 2013 at 10:45am
I live in an HOA community and was once its president. I resigned for several reasons. However, if I had know about the power of the HOA when we bought our home I would have lived elsewhere. They have or think they have complete control of you and your property. You can’t to anything outside your home without their permission. Want a shed – get permission, Want to replace the shingles of your worn out roof with a different color – absolutely not, Want to put up a fence – get permission and on and on! Usually the people who are on the board are people who are seeking POWER and you are the subjects to the king. I wish I could leave but being retired and on a fixed income, I can’t afford to now.

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OutofSympathy
Posted on February 11, 2013 at 10:45am
Funny, most of these cases involve the US flag… Never hear the lefties complain about those cases but by George if it hinders DEAR LEADERS worshippers!!!!!

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Mike76
Posted on February 11, 2013 at 10:44am
Typical Obama supporters: Well to do, and living in a gated suburban community, nestled safely away from the minorities and miscreants they profess to care so much about.

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grimjack3791
Posted on February 11, 2013 at 10:39am
Everyone should read Bentley Little’s “The Association”.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Association-Bentley-Little/dp/0451204123/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1360597110&sr=8-1&keywords=little+the+association

Tell Stumpy I said hello.

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txswalker
Posted on February 11, 2013 at 10:39am
WOW a lefty gets a taste of left wing mob style politics thier famous for….in this case its bitter sweet that the right wing style of conservitive freedom won.

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getourcountryback
Posted on February 11, 2013 at 10:39am
I am sure that it would have been juck ducky with the obama supporters if it had of been a Romney sign. Tyranny works both ways people.

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REALID 239823749828-HIF
Posted on February 11, 2013 at 10:31am
Good. Maybe the next HOA will think twice before trying to squelch someone’s free speech simply because they don’t agree with the content.

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Tickdog
Posted on February 11, 2013 at 10:27am
i am offended by a sign/bumper sticker that say Obama Biden…

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XPat
Posted on February 11, 2013 at 10:25am
Nothing says “I’m a commie loving socialistic Marxist who has contempt for the Constitution and the military” quite like an Obama/Biden yard sign.

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Xiccarph
Posted on February 11, 2013 at 10:18am
Now THIS was a classic application of Obama’s redistribution of wealth agenda. In the end, everyone looses in one way or another.

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- getourcountryback
  Posted on February 11, 2013 at 10:40am
  Right you are.
  
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RaydocX
Posted on February 11, 2013 at 10:16am
if there are rules in place it’s easy.
if there aren’t BUT majority oppose the persistence of signs, making a new rule and not offering a grandfather clause is easy.
otherwise, while i may disagree with their political viewpoint, it’s their home, their land, and they aren’t in violation of HOA rules… Free speech still applies to all, and in point of fact, fools like this help thinking people to learn who they can avoid when seeking intelligent discussion and serious contribution.

Case in point… instead of resizing their sign to FIT THE RULES, this family wants the rules to apply only to others. if it was a bothersome dog of their neighbors, or a car sitting on blocks, you know they would be screaming for the HOA to act.

And citing ‘tyranny’ as their reason for opposition is LAUGHABLE considering who they are supporting. Typical Prog fools, not concerned about their hypocrisy and double standards…

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solo1
Posted on February 11, 2013 at 10:14am
Most HOAs are criminal enterprises.

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KeithOlberdink
Posted on February 11, 2013 at 10:13am
Farrans? Let me guess the nationality…. Foward Allahu Akbar!

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Art Stone
Posted on February 11, 2013 at 10:01am
Perhaps the HOA could pass a rule to fine anyone who won’t provide proof that they have health care insurance and then put their house in foreclosure for failing to pay the fine

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BobtheMoron
Posted on February 11, 2013 at 9:56am
if you don’t want to have rules, don’t move into an HOA community. The Farrans sound like your average Progressive in that rules only apply to other people, the peons. As for the Obama sign, I consider that an IQ test and, apparently, there is no intelligence amongst the Farrans. Progressives found a Progressive judge and won their case. How convenient.

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