HOA Residents Fly the Stars and Stripes to Show Patriotism

As the 4th of July Approaches, HOA Guidelines Should Set Reasonable Standards for Flag Display

FALLS CHURCH, Va., June 30, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This holiday weekend, Americans will be flying their American flags to demonstrate their patriotism and support of our country. In HOAs around the country, community managers and their association boards find themselves carefully developing and enforcing reasonable rules regarding the size, location and height of local displays of the American flag or other armed services flags in an effort to meet the needs of everyone living in the community. HOA managers, whose associations set the rules and standards governing more than 60 million Americans' homes, are urged to set and communicate reasonable flag display rules.

"We salute the U.S. service personnel whose sacrifices keep our country safe," said Dawn Bauman, executive director of the National Board of Certification for Community Association Managers (NBC-CAM). "And for many military families and civilians, flag display is a deeply emotional issue that is especially strong during national holidays.

"NBC-CAM strongly believes that all Americans should have the opportunity to display the U.S. flag to demonstrate their patriotism and support of our country," she continued, adding that NBC-CAM believes that HOAs are best equipped to determine flag display protocols.

"We train our community association managers with the philosophy that a community is more than houses and streets. A community is people and their connections to one another. In our role as neighborhood partners, our community managers cultivate communities that fulfill the dreams of residents and developers," said NBC-CAM board member Bart Park, president of Capital Consultants Management Corporation, whose company manages large-scale communities across the U.S.  

For that reason, Park believes, "Community managers should use reasonableness and flexibility as their standard. My litmus test is whether the flag represents all people or is in context with the time of year. So, I believe it's appropriate for a Nebraska Cornhusker to fly his flag on an important game day, but it may not be appropriate to fly a flag that's a known symbol of controversy, such as a Confederate flag."

Bauman suggests, "HOA managers and residents should familiarize themselves with federal laws related to the display of the United States flag. The Flag Code includes useful instruction and rules on how and when to display the flag."

The code prohibits a condominium, cooperative or real estate management association from adopting or enforcing any policy or agreement that would restrict or prevent a member of the association from displaying the flag on residential property in accordance with the Federal Flag Code.

The code states that the U.S. flag should be displayed above state or municipal flags. Also, it is custom to display the flag only from sunrise to sunset. However, the flag may be displayed 24 hours a day if properly illuminated. When a flag is no longer fit to fly, it should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.

For more information on such topics as the display and use of the flag, time and occasions for display, position and manner of display, and how to show respect for the flag, visit the Flag Code report prepared for Congress.

Your community association manager may already be familiar with the Federal Flag Code, as he or she may be a U.S. veteran. "We are proud that the CMCA is approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs for reimbursement under the GI Bill," notes Bauman. "Veterans have sought and earned the CMCA certification and have been reimbursed through the GI Bill for their expenses related to earning the CMCA certification."

For more information about the NBC-CAM and Department of Veterans Affairs partnership, visit www.nbccam.org/program/employer.cfm. When looking for a CMCA-certified community manager, visit NBC-CAM's online directory to find professionals with the latest knowledge and practical skills.

NBC-CAM is a 16-year-old independent board that develops certification and standards for community association managers. It administers the CMCA examination, a rigorous, three-hour test that measures managers' knowledge of community management best practices. The CMCA certification is the world's only accredited certification program for the community association management profession. CMCA-certified managers have the skills to safeguard the assets of homeowners associations, giving homeowners peace of mind and protecting home values. For more information, go to www.nbccam.org.

SOURCE National Board of Certification for Community Association Managers