HOA controversy over rainbow flag

ORLANDO, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - An Orlando man who was told he had to take down the rainbow pride flag outside his house is thrilled that his HOA board has reversed the decision.

“Thank you so much!” Fernando Moran told the community management company, when they told him the good news, “thank you so much and I appreciate you guys doing this, it means a lot to me!”

The rainbow flag outside Moran’s house can stay. He put up the flag to honor pride month, and the lives lost on the June 12th Pulse Nightclub attack.

“It's not only about gay pride, it's about unity,” he said, “to me, this is what that flag represents after the Twelfth of June.”

But the HOA’s Architecture Review Board said no. They said the only approved flags were the US flag and armed forces flags. They ordered Moran to take the flag down, shocking him and his neighbors.

“I think they should be able to do whatever they want and I think it's terrible to try to make them take down their flag,” said neighbor Tuleagh Innes-Gawn, “it's their right to have that flag up.”

The News Station called the management company, Titan HOA Management. They said they appealed the denial to the HOA Board of Directors, which overturned the decision. Moran's flag can keep flying.

“At some point, communication picked up and things worked out,” Moran said, “I'm really excited! I'm off to work, and like I said I'll be a happy worker today!”

A Titan representative said the rules were changed, and now the HOA Board of Directors will decide on a case-by-case basis which flags residents can fly.