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A Florida Man Paints American Flag On Home To Protest Fines
Code enforcement officers visited Brent Greer’s home earlier this year after someone complained he had an old Christmas tree outside. Greer, who is dad to seven adopted children, was hit with a list of code violations, including missing window screens and peeling paint. So he decided to pick up the paintbrush and decorate his home with an American Flag.
“[I] decided to paint the American flag in order to show this is still America” Greer explained.
He added that he did to show he won’t just lie down in the face of what he feels is unfair treatment by his local government.
“They’re threatening me and my family,” he said.
It started with a dead Christmas tree outside of his house. Someone reported it to code enforcement, prompting officers to investigate his property.
They ended up reporting other violations, like issues with the paint, missing window screens and loose railings. Trash was also reportedly on the property.
“’There was a debris pile,’ he said….show it to me,” Greer said.
Facing a $250-a-day fine, Greer became fed up and started painting the flag, which is not a violation.
“Code compliance is all we’re looking for,” said Code Compliance Manager Volker Reiss.
A code enforcement hearing has been scheduled for later this month but officials hope it doesn’t come to that.
“We have 3000 cases a year and less than a 100 go to a hearing,” Reiss said.
Still, Greer says he won’t back down.
“I’m not going to pay them,” he said.
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