Does anyone include in their rules something about the display of flags being limited to official national / current military flags and state recognized flags? Or do you ban all flags, or allow all flags?
For the sake of argument let’s assume one neighbor puts out a confederate flag, another a rainbow flag, another an Islamic flag, and the last one an NRA flag.
I fully support the first amendment, but at the same time don’t want to operate a Park where certain people don’t feel welcome / safe because of the advertised personal values of others. Has this been a problem for anyone, or is it just something you tolerate?
In the rules and regs form in the reference library, number 18 mentions no signs are permitted except with the permission of management. By extension, you could apply this to flags as well. You could alter that phrase to say “no flags or signs are permitted…” The First Amendment is about the government not prohibiting freedom of speech. Private individuals and business generally can censor whatever we please, therefore, you should implement whatever practices are best for your business. I would just ban all flags that way you don’t have to be the arbiter of what speech is deemed appropriate. Also, depending on what part of the country you’re in, you then have to worry about your particular community’s sensitivities so I think it’s best just to prohibit them all.
I think I am not going to do anything, and probably rely more heavily on screening to weed out some of these types that advertise this stuff. It’s probably going to be something they already have on their car, keychain, and shirts so will know in advance if it may become an issue.
If someone chooses to fly a flag outside then it must be maintained in accordance with the other rules, such as it must not be frayed and must be lit at night, etc. They must be extremely proud to take meticulous care of it, otherwise they get notice to take it down or I take it down for them for a fee.
I would ban all flags if flags are a problem. Choosing which ones to allow and which ones not to allow will get you in a lot more trouble than letting them all be allowed. In any event, here’s an interesting article I ran across the other day. It proves that the law will be on your side if you choose to ban all flags even if the media wants to unsuccessfully sensationalize it:
The legal responsibility of a landlord is to insure all residents live in a safe and respectful environment. This would include protection from all perceived threats or intimidation. If someone perceives the displaying of any particular flag as a implied threat than the landlord is obligated to ban such threats.
In the case of flags there is often a intended threat in the purpose of displaying it and therefor a landlord has a obligation to ban such displays.
Does your insurance company require or recommend flags be banned? And where do you draw the line? If tenants cannot put a flag on their mobile home as personal property can they also not put stickers on their car bumpers parked in the driveway?
I don’t have confidence there are many scenarios where an MHP owner would be liable for damages because a flag was allowed to be displayed, unless it is specifically a violation of our Civil Rights laws.
I do think you guys are right that banning all flags is the simplest and most effective route to go, and the likelihood that it becomes a problem or gets in the news is minimal. But at the same time I would have some personal remorse telling a tenant who is a war hero they cannot display an American flag.
Wow, people have no freedom of expression including maybe what they have on their cars. When an homeowner is willing to put up a nice plus $200 flagpole we say nice. In our part of the country our residents have good taste partially by vetting them at time of wanting to be in our parks and seeing the quality of the homes and the park itself. When veterans are denied the flag they were willing to die for you better check to see if you live in America or China. At this time animals have more rights than humans babies so much for civil rights and transgenders rights–just think about our little girls at school and a ??boy wants a view–where will it end and we wonder what to do. We still hopefully have a moral compass that functions to keep us on the straight way.
In the US there is legislation called, “‘Freedom to Display the American Flag Act of 2005.” You can thank Bush for that one. Furthermore not permitting the display a Purple Heart military flag may be construed as an FHA violation for discrimination against someone with a disability. Same for a flag of Jesus or Prophet Mohammed or the Scientology Robot King. You get the gist. It’s not quite as simple as banning everything.
I am leaning more and more towards a detailed rule that allows the flying of flags of a certain size, in certain locations, being maintained a certain way. Consistent enforcement is the key.
If someone tries to get clever and put up a Nazi or ISIS flag, while adhering to all the aforementioned then maybe an FBI and law enforcement inquiry would be worth reporting. I suspect the neighbors would take action in many of these cases before I would have to get involved.
There is typically more good to be had from flag flying than bad. A few bad apples shouldn’t ruin it for everyone.
It is not illegal to display Isis and Nazi flags in America. They are only two of many that would/could cause neighbours to take action. As a community owner it is your responsibility to provide a safe environment free from harassment and intimidating for all residents. The responsibility would fall on the community owner to insure that those wishing to fly Isis and Nazi flags are protect from other tenants. It would be considered discrimination to allow one persons choice of a flag while denying another choice.
Your options are to allow all flags to be flown and protect every resident from harassment or ban all flags.
The presence of flags, like most things, is never an issue until it becomes and issue and then the community owner becomes responsible to resolve that issue.
Just like any other crime, if a neighbor trespasses and destroys the personal property of another neighbor they are expected to call the police and file a report. But I do agree with you that banning flags is a means of last resort if tenants cannot behave themselves. Non renewing leases may be a more reasonable course of action.