Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

This has been getting a lot of press down here. Not sure if other people are hearing about it. I am actually with the HOA on this one by principle, but i am really pulling for this guy. He is a complete badass as his wiki profile indicates.

[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_T._Barfoot"][COLOR=#810081]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_T._Barfoot[/COLOR][/URL]

If you want to have a flag pole in your yard or put up pink flamingos, thats fine just dont live in a neighborhood with a HOA. That said they should make an exception for this guy. They have been saying make a exception that allows any MOH recipients to be allowed to have a flag pole.

[URL="http://www.downtownshortpump.com/2009/12/04/short-pump-wwii-vet-garners-national-media-attention-over-flag-pole-dispute/"][COLOR=#810081]http://www.downtownshortpump.com/2009/12/04/short-pump-wwii-vet-garners-national-media-attention-over-flag-pole-dispute/[/COLOR][/URL]
[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_T._Barfoot"][/URL]

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

it's been on the news up here isn't the gov trying to help him out, hoa are such bs, they serve a decent purpose but you can't let a couple of d-bags run it, cause the do crap like this, the guy has a medal of honor doesn't he? he should be able to fly a god damn flag bigger than his house imo it's the usa and he fought for it

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

[I]He advanced alone through the minefield, following ditches and depressions, until he came within a few yards of a machine gun on the German flank. After taking out the gun with a hand grenade, he entered the German trench and advanced on a second machine gun, killing two soldiers and capturing three others. When he reached a third gun, the entire crew surrendered to him. Others also surrendered and Barfoot captured a total of seventeen German soldiers. He had killed 8.[4][/I]

just read the wiki if this guy can't fly a flag i might move to canada

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

FUCK the HOA.

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

[quote=mlmdub130;633989][I]He advanced alone through the minefield, following ditches and depressions, until he came within a few yards of a machine gun on the German flank. After taking out the gun with a hand grenade, he entered the German trench and advanced on a second machine gun, killing two soldiers and capturing three others. When he reached a third gun, the entire crew surrendered to him. Others also surrendered and Barfoot captured a total of seventeen German soldiers. He had killed 8.[4][/I]

just read the wiki if this guy can't fly a flag i might move to canada[/quote]

He must have just finished watching [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alvin_C._York"]Sergeant York[/URL] before heading out to battle.

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

Man this dude was ballin' in WW2. I've been hearing about this on DC101 the past couple of days and Elliot was planning on sending Flounder down there on Monday to help him raise the flag lol.

Personally I agree with this guy. Given his track record the man should be allowed to fly the American flag high every morning. I think they should just give a concession that a Medal of Honor winner should be allowed to fly the flag in their front yard. I understand what the HOA is trying to do but in this case you can make a special exemption but still be able to prevent them from popping up everywhere, unless of course a shitload of MOH winners decide to move into the neighborhood.

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

HoA's are the biggest crock ever. Everyone has to look completely the same. I understand wanting your neighborhood to look nice, but everyone having to have the same mailbox, measuring the height of flowers, regulating the color of flowers, etc is absolutely ridiculous.

Let the man raise the flag.

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

so what if you have a bunch of flags in the neighborhood. is that a bad thing? that man is a real American hero. screw that HOA

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

Hoa = fail !!!

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

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Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

While I'm not a fan of HOA's your supose to get a copy of the bylaws before you close on your house so you know what your getting into so its really no ones fault but your own if you don't like them. With that said I hope this guy wins and get to rais his flag eveyday. I saw this on the news and could not understand why the HOA would not give an exception to this great hero who is over 90 years old.

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

HOA have standards, everyone who buys a house knows that. They have a limit on how big a flagpole and that's understandable. I mean, if you don't set limits what stops a tenant putting up a 50 foot tall pole? Van Barefoot can have a flag, just not one that's very big.

Sorry, HOA wins as they should.

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

[quote=saden1;634075]HOA have standards, everyone who buys a house knows that. They have a limit on how big a flagpole and that's understandable. I mean, if you don't set limits what stops a tenant putting up a 50 foot tall pole? Van Barefoot can have a flag, just not one that's very big.

Sorry, HOA wins as they should.[/quote]

it's not a very big flag it's standard size and the pole isn't that big, should he just stick a index sized flag in his front yard? hoa's are retarded and take it too far, if someone isn't keeping their property up thats one thing, but to to tell some one they can't fly an american flag is unpatriotic

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

[quote=firstdown;634067]While I'm not a fan of HOA's your supose to get a copy of the bylaws before you close on your house so you know what your getting into so its really no ones fault but your own if you don't like them. With that said I hope this guy wins and get to rais his flag eveyday. I saw this on the news and could not understand why the HOA would not give an exception to this great hero who is over 90 years old.[/quote]
It's been said that this HOA does not have bylaws against it, obviously I haven't seen the papers myself.

There's actually another case of this going on somewhere too, guy has an american flag and I believe a POW flag as well.

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

[quote=tryfuhl;634083]It's been said that this HOA does not have bylaws against it, obviously I haven't seen the papers myself.

There's actually another case of this going on somewhere too, guy has an american flag and I believe a POW flag as well.[/quote]

The news I saw said they did have bylaws against free standing flag poles but I think they can mount one on like a porch. In this case the HOA should use some common sense and give a one time exception to the rule. The biggest problem with bylaws the minute you let one person slip on the rules the harder it becomes to inforce any of the rules. In my parents neighborhood so many people broke a little rule here and there now the bylaws are worthless. My dad was on the board and warned them this would happen but he did not really care for them to start with.

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

[quote=firstdown;634094]The news I saw said they did have bylaws against free standing flag poles but I think they can mount one on like a porch. In this case the HOA should use some common sense and give a one time exception to the rule. The biggest problem with bylaws the minute you let one person slip on the rules the harder it becomes to inforce any of the rules. In my parents neighborhood so many people broke a little rule here and there now the bylaws are worthless. My dad was on the board and warned them this would happen but he did not really care for them to start with.[/quote]

One time exception to the rule eh? What are you going to tell his next door neighbor when he decides to put up the Vietnamese flag on pole too?

No exceptions! You either change the bylaws, move out, sue or stfu.

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

this is america why can't show show pride in your country they should make an exception if you have a f-ing medal of honor

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

[quote=saden1;634096]One time exception to the rule eh? What are you going to tell his next door neighbor when he decides to put up the Vietnamese flag on pole too?

No exceptions! You either change the bylaws, move out, sue or stfu.[/quote]

I agree. Making exceptions only opens the floodgates for more "exceptions", and then where do you draw the line? HOA's may be a pain it's up to you to know what you're getting in to before you buy.

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

what power does the HOA have, exactly?

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

they can bitch and whine and eventually fine you, i hate hoa's in theory they have a good purpose but you can't let some worthless pos with nothing better to do that walk around with a clipboard trying to find things wrong run it

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

what happens if you don't pay the fine?

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

[quote=dmek25;634280]what happens if you don't pay the fine?[/quote]
Good question , as I do not know if the HOA's have any legal authority . If Col. Barefoot were 60 yrs old I could see the HOA caring about this , but he is 90 and I understand most people cannot see the flag , or flagpole unless you are in almost directly in front of the house . As far as someone flying another flag < ussr/france > , this is the USA and our flag is Red White and Blue .

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

EITM had this story about a week or so ago, and they had a president of an HoA call in to answer the question about what if he doesn't pay the fine. Basically, they put a lien on his property when he dies. They get their money.

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

[quote=saden1;634096]One time exception to the rule eh? What are you going to tell his next door neighbor [B]when he decides to put up the Vietnamese flag on pole too[/B]?

No exceptions! You either change the bylaws, move out, sue or stfu.[/quote]

Seeing how homeboy served in South Vietnam too, he just might!

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

[quote=dmek25;634280]what happens if you don't pay the fine?[/quote]
Depending on the HOA bylaws, the HOA can put a lien on your house until the fines are paid.

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

[quote=BDBohnzie;635939]Depending on the HOA bylaws, the HOA can put a lien on your house until the fines are paid.[/quote]


Yup you can not sell your home until all your fines are paid up and the issues are resolved.

HOA's are only as good the folks that run them.

I live in a townhouse and I think the HOA is usefully, we have some orginally owners left in our development who bought their home for like 90K or 100K, they now sell for 275k-300K, and they are not doing the up keep. There is like three of them left and you can point them out just by standing in the street. I guess it is a money issue for them, every one else has replaced roofs, painted, repaired siding, cleaned the brick, etc...not them though. I know the HOA is on them and I have seen all of them starting to do stuff.

If you hate your HOA then I suggest you join them or start attending meetings. If you don't like HOA's then don't move into a neigborhood that has one. In MD at least you have I belive 10 days to read over the HOA rules and if you don't like them you can back right out of the deal. The one problem is if you live i nan area like NOVA it is going to be hard to find a non-HOA hood.

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

[quote=mredskins;635961]Yup you can not sell your home until all your fines are paid up and the issues are resolved.

[B]HOA's are only as good the folks that run them.[/B]

I live in a townhouse and I think the HOA is usefully, we have some orginally owners left in our development who bought their home for like 90K or 100K, they now sell for 275k-300K, and they are not doing the up keep. There is like three of them left and you can point them out just by standing in the street. I guess it is a money issue for them, every one else has replaced roofs, painted, repaired siding, cleaned the brick, etc...not them though. I know the HOA is on them and I have seen all of them starting to do stuff.

If you hate your HOA then I suggest you join them or start attending meetings. If you don't like HOA's then don't move into a neigborhood that has one. In MD at least you have I belive 10 days to read over the HOA rules and if you don't like them you can back right out of the deal. The one problem is if you live i nan area like NOVA it is going to be hard to find a non-HOA hood.[/quote]

Damn ain't that the truth right there.

We haven't had any bad experiences with our HOA... yet. But we've certainly heard our share of nightmare stories.

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

[quote=Mattyk72;635963]Damn ain't that the truth right there.

We haven't had any bad experiences with our HOA... yet. But we've certainly heard our share of nightmare stories.[/quote]

Exactly. HOAs in my experience are pains in the ass not because of their very existence and purpose but because the people who run them are jackasses. It's like universal. You have to be a douche to be on the board. The problem here isn't the rules its that they decided to not let him fly the flag. They should have just let him. If others complained you print out his wiki and tell them to spin. But since they are hellbent on enforcing the rules then he shouldn't get special treatment. It would just be bad now.

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

Waiting for TMC to weigh in, I beleive he hates HOA's to the highest degree.

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

I have one of those neighbors which having HOA would be nice. This dude left a ladder leaning and extended to his roof of his 2 stry home for 2 1/2 years. His fence is falling down which I keep putting back up so I don't have to look at the crap in his yard. He has a new riding lawn mower but has not used it in 3 months and the two other broken down lawn mowers are sitting in their yard where they probably broke down. The only good news is that his back yard backs up to our side yard and we only have one window on that side of the house to see his crap. If I'm correct he is unemployeed and his car is sitting there when I leave for work and when I return so he has plenty of time to work in his yard. Him in his wife have spent the past 3 weekends putting up christmas stuff but they have not touched the yard. Lazy people should be forced to rent. LOL

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

[quote=firstdown;636058]I have one of those neighbors which having HOA would be nice. This dude left a ladder leaning and extended to his roof of his 2 stry home for 2 1/2 years. His fence is falling down which I keep putting back up so I don't have to look at the crap in his yard. He has a new riding lawn mower but has not used it in 3 months and the two other broken down lawn mowers are sitting in their yard where they probably broke down. The only good news is that his back yard backs up to our side yard and we only have one window on that side of the house to see his crap. If I'm correct he is unemployeed and his car is sitting there when I leave for work and when I return so he has plenty of time to work in his yard. [B]Him in his wife have spent the past 3 weekends putting up christmas stuff[/B] but they have not touched the yard. Lazy people should be forced to rent.LOL[/quote]

That seems like a hell of a trick.

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

[quote=firstdown;636058]I have one of those neighbors which having HOA would be nice. This dude left a ladder leaning and extended to his roof of his 2 stry home for 2 1/2 years. His fence is falling down which I keep putting back up so I don't have to look at the crap in his yard. He has a new riding lawn mower but has not used it in 3 months and the two other broken down lawn mowers are sitting in their yard where they probably broke down. The only good news is that his back yard backs up to our side yard and we only have one window on that side of the house to see his crap. If I'm correct he is unemployeed and his car is sitting there when I leave for work and when I return so he has plenty of time to work in his yard. Him in his wife have spent the past 3 weekends putting up christmas stuff but they have not touched the yard. Lazy people should be forced to rent. LOL[/quote]

White trash love themselves some Xmas decorations!

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

[quote=mredskins;636192]White trash love themselves some Xmas decorations![/quote]

Actually the stuff they have done outside is pretty basic stuff and nothing over the top just some white lights and other basic stuff. I'd like to see what the inside of the house looks like with all the crap I have seen them hull in there. They have a shed in their back yard just for christmas stuff. My wife has been in there house once and said it was pretty clean but you would never think that by looking at the outside.

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

[quote=budw38;634284]Good question , as I do not know if the HOA's have any legal authority . If Col. Barefoot were 60 yrs old I could see the HOA caring about this , but he is 90 and I understand most people cannot see the flag , or flagpole unless you are in almost directly in front of the house .[B] As far as someone flying another flag < ussr/france > , this is the USA and our flag is Red White and Blue [/B].[/quote]The flags for France and Russia (there is no more USSR) are both red, white, and blue as well.

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

[quote=ArtMonkDrillz;636235]The flags for France and Russia (there is no more USSR) are both red, white, and blue as well.[/quote]

[YT]r94AJzJZZaU[/YT]

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

[url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,579773,00.html]Virginia Veteran Wins Battle to Keep His Flagpole in Yard - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News - FOXNews.com[/url] The Col. Wins again !!! :)

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

common sense prevails

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

[quote=budw38;636938][url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,579773,00.html]Virginia Veteran Wins Battle to Keep His Flagpole in Yard - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News - FOXNews.com[/url] The Col. Wins again !!! :)[/quote]

america f yeah!

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

I think that Webb and Warner backing him helped a lot, not to mention the national exposure that the story got. Glad that the HOA dropped it, sad that it took so long.

Re: Col. Van T. Barfoot vs. the HOA
 

When you win the MOH you get special treatment. It doesn't matter if you're a PVT, the generals have to salute you. I think even the President salutes you too. I might be mistaken. When you fought in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam, even at 90, you're probably not someone to be effed with, HOA!