Avon Lake HOA Bans LGBTQ+, Autism Awareness Flags, Fines Those Who Don’t Comply

AVON LAKE, Ohio (WOIO) – The Homeowners Association for Belden Pointe in Avon Lake has changed its HOA code, now banning flags that support LGBTQ+, autism awareness, sports teams and other causes.

The code change was made without a community vote, as required by the “Belden Pointe Homeowners’ Association, Inc. Declaration of Agreements, Conditions, Restrictions and Easements Reservation.” The statement says a 75% approval vote is needed for anything to change. According to resident Jacki Walsh-Scanlon, a letter was sent to homes announcing the policy change, angering a large percentage of the community.

“They said (the changes) were to avoid division within the community, but frankly, it caused more division within the community than it was before,” Walsh-Scanlon said.

The specific section of code that has been changed is the section 9.1.4 Signs which says, in part:

“No permanent signs of any character shall be erected, posted or displayed.”

Section 9.1.4 never included anything about flags, which allowed residents to have flags displayed for various causes. On September 12, the HOA announced that the following section had been added to “resolve any ambiguity.”

“Council, at its discretion, shall prohibit signs and any other form of messages, including lighting, that refer to or refer to: i) politics; ii) divisive issues or topics, iii) issues regarding any ballot or expected to be on any ballot; and iv) matters subject to an election or vote”.

Walsh-Scanlon, who has a son with autism, had to remove the autism awareness flag they have, feeling her family was being silenced. She says another family with a transgender son also feels targeted.

“As a family, we try to show support for others and show others who are struggling with things like this, ‘yeah, we’ve got your back,’ and it seems so childish (to take the flags away).”

The four-person board also fines non-compliance $500 as a Level 1 misdemeanor, the highest possible fine. These fines continue monthly if the flag is not removed.

According to Walsh-Scanlon, there was never a vote to add that language. During a community meeting to address the new code, Walsh-Scanlon says the board dismissed the community without providing an official explanation for the changes.

“They agreed to allow us to have a community meeting and pretty much the whole community showed up,” Walsh-Scanlon explains, “they basically said they didn’t care what any of us thought and they weren’t going to allow the flags and that’s her.”

Walsh-Scanlon says about 75 percent of the community has signed a petition to bring the statement back to its original language. She says the petition was ignored. As the mother of an autistic child, she feels this is trying to silence voices in the community as her family is now considering a move.

“As a board, they act more like a dictatorship than an improvement to our community, so I don’t trust the HOA,” Walsh-Scanlon said.

19 News has contacted the Council for comment on this story and is awaiting a response.