Homeowners association forces homeowner to remove ‘offensive’ Blue Lives Matter flag

A Florida woman is being forced to remove her Blue Lives Matter flag from outside her home after her homeowners association said they had received complaints.

The homeowner, who lives in St. Johns County, Florida, but would not publicly identify herself out of fear of retaliation, had been flying the flag in front of her house for several years to show appreciation for law enforcement officers, WJAX-TV reported. The homeowner's father, law enforcement officer Jeff Gaddie, said that his daughter recently received a letter demanding it be taken down because it did not comply with the association's regulations.

"She called to ask why," Gaddie told reporters. "They told her they had received a complaint that it was considered racist, offensive and anti-Black Lives Matter."

According to WJAX, the association also told her to submit a request to fly the flag, which she did. The request was denied.

First Coast Association Management told WTVT-TV that their rules stipulate that only American or military-themed flags are allowed to be displayed in their neighborhood, even though other flags flown by residents in the neighborhood do not fit that criteria. Any other flags require association approval.

The homeowner is planning to appeal the denied request at the next association meeting, but for now, she will have to remove her flag honoring her father and others who serve.

"We’ve got black officers, we’ve got Asian officers, we’re got every race," Gaddie said. "I mean for them to say it’s racist, blue is not a race, it’s the furthest thing from it.”

Outcry over homeowners association overreach nationwide has led to some legislative efforts to curb HOA power and increase transparency. For example, the South Carolina legislature is currently debating a bill that would require HOAs to receive training on real estate regulations and make all decisions and meetings public.

As more and more private property in the United States becomes subject to HOA regulation, many feel that these changes cannot come soon enough.

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