Greeley Apartment Complex Asks Resident to Take Down American Flag
With the Fourth of July near, celebrating our country's independence should be on the forefront of our minds. One apartment complex in Greeley begs to differ.
According to the Greeley Tribune, resident Samuel Adams received a letter last Wednesday afternoon from Sterling Heights management asking him to take down the American flag he'd hung as an Independence Day decoration on his balcony.
The note read as follows:
Dear Samuel,
Please be advised that it has come to management's attention that you have an American flag on the balcony/patio area. Your signed Community Policies states, 'The use of balconies and patios for the purpose of storage and/or laundry drying is prohibited. Breezeways are not to be used as a patio or storage. Please do not clutter with personal belongings. Balconies and patios must be maintained in a neat, clean and attractive condition. Outdoor and/or patio furniture is welcomed on your patio or balcony only. Gasoline and other hazardous materials are not to be stored in your apartment or storage area. Retain from having dead plants, boxes or garbage on balcony/patios at any time.' We appreciate your prompt attention and cooperation in this matter. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact myself or the office. Thank you.
Sterling Heights Community Manager Pamela Buchanan tells the Tribune she doesn't have a problem with the American flag itself. Rather, the complex prohibits tenants to display decorations, signs, or flags on their balconies.
Other residents have supposedly received a similar note, as well, the Tribune learned from Senior Regional Manager Amie Robertshaw.
"We really try hard to keep a nice, neat community and are diligent about our efforts to keep uniformity in appearance in the areas visible to others," Robertshaw told the newspaper via email. Contradictory to the note left for Adams, she said he and other residents are allowed to display flags on their balconies for Independence Day, but they'll need to be taken down after July 4.
Though Adams is not a veteran himself, comes from a family full of those who have served our country. His grandfather served as a U.S. Army surgeon in World War I, and his father was a dentist in the U.S. Navy.
Adams posted the video above following the incident on June 23.