Neighbors: HOA won't let us fly law enforcement flags

Some homeowners in a north Fort Worth neighborhood say they've received warnings for flying "back the blue" flags because they're not approved by the HOA.

Some homeowners in a north Fort Worth neighborhood say they've received warnings for flying "back the blue" flags because they're not approved by the HOA. less

FORT WORTH -- They are silent statements of support.

Outside some homes in the north Fort Worth neighborhood of Seventeen Lakes, flags fly to honor law enforcement.

Dave Bucklin says he's flown one on and off since February. But the flapping flags up and down these streets now appear to have created a flap.

According to Homeowner's Association guidelines provided to News 8 by neighbors, the HOA only allows three types of flags to be flown: the Texas flag, military flags and an American flag. Still, this spring, neighbors say more people started flying the "back the blue" flag in honor of injured Fort Worth officer Matt Pearce.

And they say the HOA, which is entirely controlled by the developer and has no homeowner representation, noticed.

"We had one neighbor get cited in the neighborhood," Bucklin says.

Marvin Faulkenburry was that neighbor.

"I got a letter of non-compliance," Faulkenburry says.

"I was given 30 days to get it down or face $100 a day fine until I did take it down."

Others say they received citations, too. Faulkenburry complied, and put a traditional American flag up instead-- simply because he didn't want to pay the fine.

"The fact the HOA takes exception to (the law enforcement flag) is insulting, in my opinion," he says.

Some other neighbors are split on what to do. One neighbor told News 8 she’s begrudgingly about to take her flag down, and another neighbor said he'll take his chances and leave it up.

Friday, we tried numerous times to reach an HOA representative. We finally reached him late Friday, but he said his company wouldn't be able to comment until at least next week.

Bucklin says he even went as far as to ask formal permission to fly the flag. It was denied. So as of Friday night, he's complying with what he knows is right by the book, but not right by his heart.

"If I want to support our police officers and things, I think I ought to be able to fly that flag," he says.

Zena Land Development is the developer that controls the Seventeen Lakes HOA. One homeowner told News 8 the neighbors' requests for representation "have fallen on deaf ears."

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