Avon Lake HOA bans LGBTQ+ people, warns about autism and fines those who don’t comply

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

The code change was made without a community vote as required by the “Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, Restrictions and Reservations of Easements for the Belden Pointe Homeowners Association, Inc.” The Declaration states that 75% of the vote is needed to change anything. Resident Jackie Walsh-Scanlon said a letter was sent to homes announcing the policy change, angering a large percentage of the population.

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

The specific section of code that was changed is the section 9.1.4 Signs which states, in part:

“No permanent signs of any nature shall be erected, posted or displayed on the property.”

Section 9.1.4 said nothing about flags, allowing residents to display flags for a variety of reasons. On September 12, the HOA announced that the following section had been added to “resolve any ambiguity.”

“The Council shall, in its discretion, prohibit the use of signs and any other form of communication, including lighting, that relate to any: i) policy; ii) issues or subject matter that are controversial; iii) questions included or proposed to be included on any ballot paper; and iv) matters subject to election or vote.”

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

“As a family, we’re trying to provide support to others and show others who are struggling with these things, ‘yes, we support you,’ and it seems so childish (to remove flags).”

The four-member board also fines those who don’t comply $500 as a Level 1 misdemeanor, the highest fine possible. These fines will continue monthly unless the flag is removed.

There was never a vote to add that language, Walsh-Scanlon said. During a community meeting to consider the new code, Walsh-Scanlon says the board essentially brushed off the community without offering any formal explanation for the changes.

“They agreed to let us have a community meeting and almost the whole community showed up,” explains Walsh-Scanlon, “basically they just said they don’t care what any of us think and they won’t allow flags.” and this is this.”

Walsh-Scanlon says about 75% of the community has signed a petition demanding the return of the declaration to its original language. According to her, the petition was ignored. As the mother of an autistic child, she feels she is trying to silence voices in society as her family now considers moving.

“As a board of directors, they act more like a dictatorship than an improvement to our community, which is why I don’t have faith in our HOA,” Walsh-Scanlon said.

19 News has reached out to the Board for comment on this story and is awaiting a response.