Navy Veteran Gets Eviction Notice After Hanging US Flag Outside Home
A Navy veteran in Oregon was reportedly handed an eviction notice from his apartment complex for displaying an American flag on his house on Navy Day.
KVAL.com reported Wednesday that Edward Zivica received a letter from his apartment management company, St. Vincent de Paul, on Oct. 27, stating that he should take the flag down and follow the rules, or he would face eviction.
Zivica, a Navy veteran, reportedly said that he has been hanging the flag right out of his door for at least a year on special holidays like Memorial Day and Labor Day. This time was no different, and Zivica refused to take it down.
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The landlord reportedly took down the flag the same day and handed Zivica an eviction notice. The veteran has until midnighy Nov. 29 to move out or to agree to follow the rules, according to KVAL.com.
"The notice was for hanging something outside the building without permission," the real estate company's CEO Terry McDonald told the publication. "Landlord tenant law is very specific. If you're going to live in a situation where there's lots of other tenants, you need to follow the rules that are set up."
McDonald also explained that the company has been trying to negotiate with Zivica and other vets in the building. It has even placed a flag pole outside the building, though Zivica commented later that the flag pole did not have a pulley system, and so the veteran tenants were not satisfied.
"We want to honor our country and honor our tenants, so we put up the pole," said McDonald. "It was requested by the tenants to leave it up for a permanent presence, which we did," McDonald said.
A similar occurrence took place in May 2010, when a couple in Oshkosh, Wis., hung an American flag in their living room window.
At the time, their apartment management company, Midwest Realty Management, told the couple to take down the flag or they would face eviction, reported The Associated Press. The real estate company reportedly said that its rules prohibit the display of flags, banners and political or religious material in order to maintain a consistent living environment for all apartment residents.
