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Article and Video Courtesy of LOCAL
10 NEWS
By Terrell Forney
Published
April 22, 2019
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 Watch
VIDEO
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FORT LAUDERDALE - Old Glory flies high around the Bay
Colony Club Condos in Fort Lauderdale. But for residents who display a
flag on their own property, the move could cause a big problem.
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Louis Lauer, a
longtime condo owner there, has been hit with at least
four citations and warnings just within the past month.
"I've had this flag up for the last three and a half
years," he said.
Lauer's American flag flies right over his enclosed
patio. But the condo association has since tweaked its
rules on where the personal U.S. flags should be placed.
"It's very unfair, especially (because) there's a lot of
military and ex-military and disabled veterans that live
in this complex, and they should be able to fly their
flag when they want to and be proud of it," Lauer said.
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There are state and federal laws to protect homeowners against
ill-meaning acts, like the federal Freedom to Display the American Flag
Act that was passed in 2005 which states: "A condominium association,
cooperative association, or residential real estate management
association may not adopt or enforce any policy, or enter into any
agreement, that would restrict or prevent a member of the association
from displaying the flag of the United States on residential property
within the association."
Neighbor Vivian Ayoub is all for the change at the complex and said it
has nothing to do with being unpatriotic.
"It's going beyond his floor, extending into my territory," Ayoub said.
"I am as patriotic as they come."
Ayoub told Local 10 News that she just wants the flags in the correct
places.
"I don't obstruct anybody else's domain, and I don't want anybody else
obstructing mine," she said.
"It's definitely overreach, and also their ability to investigate and
check what the laws are before they just customarily make a rule," Lauer
said.
A board meeting is expected to be held Thursday night to discuss the
issue.
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