Source: https://www.freedomforuminstitute.org/first-amendment-center/topics/freedom-of-speech-2/personal-public-expression-overview/political-yard-signs/
Timestamp: 2019-04-26 14:26:22+00:00

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Many people like to express their support for a political candidate with a yard sign. Sometimes this form of freedom of expression conflicts with a city law banning or limiting the time in which political signs may be displayed. The question becomes whether such city laws infringe upon citizens’ and perhaps the candidates’ First Amendment rights.
Some city officials claim that putting limits on yard signs furthers a variety of state interests, including aesthetics and traffic safety. However, opponents of such regulations counter that yard signs, unlike perhaps large billboards too close to public streets, do not in any way reduce traffic safety. They also contend that aesthetic interests pale in comparison to the importance of political speech expressed in campaign signs.
Taking another example, the Supreme Court of Ohio ruled in City of Painesville Building Department v. Dworken & Bernstein Co. (2000) that a city law requiring the removal of political signs within 48 hours after an election is unconstitutional as applied to the posting of such signs on private property. “Although the Supreme Court has not considered the issue, the overwhelming majority of courts that have reviewed sign ordinances imposing durational limits for temporary political signs tied to a specific election date have found them to be unconstitutional,” the court wrote.
This does not mean that cities can never legislate in the area of political signs. A city may regulate the size, shape and location of yard signs. Such regulations may very well qualify as content-neutral and reasonable “time, place and manner” restrictions on speech. Similarly, a city may be able to establish a 10-sign limit per residence on yard signs. At some point, the sheer number of signs might realistically impair the aesthetics of a neighborhood.
Although cities and other government entities are constrained by the First Amendment in regulating political yard signs, there is no similar restraint imposed on private homeowner and condominium associations. Seemingly the only free-speech avenue for a resident in a private homeowner association is an argument based on an individual state constitution.
Cities are considered state actors subject to the provisions of the U.S. Constitution. Homeowner associations are private parties that do not qualify as state actors. The First Amendment generally protects people only from government interference with speech.
Some litigants have sought to satisfy the state-action doctrine by invoking the plight of homeowners in the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case Shelley v. Kraemer (1948). In that case, the U.S. Supreme Court found state action in the enforcement of racially discriminatory restrictive covenants that limited the sale of residential property to a specific race. The Court found that such odious provisions smacked of flagrant racial discrimination, and that judicial enforcement of such restrictive covenants violated the 14th Amendment and its principle of equal protection. The 11th Circuit wrote in a case involving an association’s prohibition on “for sale” signs that “Shelley has not been extended beyond race discrimination” (see Loren v. Sasser (2002)).
This means that government restrictions on political campaign signs are problematical under the First Amendment. However, homeowner/condo-association restrictions on yard or window signs may very well not raise a valid constitutional-law issue unless there is a very close nexus, or connection, to a government entity.
In Committee for a Better Twin Rivers v. Twin Rivers Homeowners’ Association, the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division, ruled that a homeowners association was subject to the free-speech provisions of the New Jersey Constitution.
However, in July 2007, the New Jersey Supreme Court reversed and ruled that the homeowner-association restrictions were reasonable and did not violate the New Jersey Constitution in Committee for a Better Twin Rivers v. Two Rivers Homeowner’s Association.
Yet in June 2012, the New Jersey Supreme Court invalidated a broad homeowner-association rule that prohibited even political signs in the windows of residents’ homes in Mazdabrook Commons Homeowners Association v. Khan. “Political signs advancing a resident’s candidacy are not by their nature incompatible with a private development,” the New Jersey high court wrote.
It remains to be seen whether other courts might apply state constitutional free-speech protections to privately owned homeowner associations. It certainly bears close inspection.
In 2004, the state Legislature amended existing legislation to protect homeowners’ and condominium residents’ right to fly flags. The revised statues (33-1261 and 33-1808) allow for residents to fly flags that are consistent in size with dimensions noted in the federal flag code (P.L. 94-344; 90 Stat. 810; 4 U.S. Code sections 4-10). Arizona homeowners’ associations may not prohibit the installation of a flagpole, but may dictate its height and placement. The revised statute 33-1808, which concerns homeowners in planned communities, also secured the right to post political signs. Signs may be displayed unless regulated by the association. All sign prohibitions must be consistent with and not exceed restrictions in local sign ordinances. Political signs may never be prohibited 45 days before or 7 days after an election.
On Sept. 12, 2003, former California Gov. Gray Davis signed a bill, AB 1525, permitting residents of common-interest developments (neighborhoods, planned communities, apartments, et al.) to display signs and flags. The bill prohibits associations from forbidding such displays and their placement unless they are found to be hazardous to community health and safety, or in violation of local, state, or federal codes. An association may stipulate the size or material with which a display is made, but such regulations must be consistent with local ordinances.
In 1989, the state Legislature passed legislation that would prevent condominium associations from barring the display of American flags by condo owners. The revised statute 718.113 protects the right of condominium unit owners to display a removable United States flag “in a respectful way.” The statute also allows owners to display removable official flags representing the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Coast Guard on Armed Forces, Memorial, Flag, Independence and Veterans Days “regardless of any declaration rules or requirements dealing with flags or decorations.” The statute limited the size of such flags to 4½ by 6 feet.
The state Legislature passed a law in 2005 that allows all residents to display the U.S. flag if the display is within the bounds of local, state, or federal ordinances. House Bill 539 additionally forbids any regulation of flagpoles — as to placement or size — if the poles are used to fly the American flag and don’t exceed the height allowed by local, state or federal codes.
In 2003 the state Legislature passed a law to allow condominium unit owners to display the United States flag as well as political signs. Assembly Bill 354 prohibits associations from enacting bylaws or rules that prohibit such displays by unit owners, but allows regulations regarding size and location of the signs, flags and flagpoles.
In 2007 the state Legislature amended existing legislation to protect homeowners’ and condominium residents’ right to fly flags and display political signs. The revised statute (25 Delaware Code Sec. 81-320) says condominium residents or homeowners cannot be prohibited from displaying a U.S. flag up to 3 feet by 5 feet, and that any rule regarding the flag’s display must be consistent with federal law. Unless addressed in the original property declaration, no rule may ban political signs for candidates or ballot questions, but a homeowner’s association can restrict the time, place, size, number, or manner or the displays.
The state Legislature passed a bill in 2004 to provide protection for homeowners and tenants to display U.S. flags. The statute (Maryland Real Property Code Sec. 14-128) says homeowners or tenants cannot be prohibited from displaying a flag “regardless of the terms of any contract, deed, covenant, restriction, instrument, declaration, rule, bylaw, lease agreement, rental agreement, or any other document concerning the display of flags or decorations by a homeowner or tenant on residential property.” The statute does allow homeowners’ associations to adopt rules concerning flag placement and the manner in which flags are displayed.
In 2005 the state Legislature wrote Sec. 500.215 into law, declaring “void and unenforceable” any document that prohibits a residential owner’s or tenant’s right to fly an American flag. The statute allows some restrictions concerning the size and condition of the flag, as well as rules to prevent damage to someone else’s property as a result of a flag’s display.
In 2007 the state Legislature revised the Virginia Code (Sec. 55-79.75:2) to ban homeowners’ associations from prohibiting the display of U.S. flags by residents and owners. The associations may make rules regarding the size, placement, duration of display and manner of display of the flag.
Courtney Holliday contributed to this article.

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