The rainbow floodlights illuminate the front yard of the Fachino-Meir household a month after their HOA told them to take their gay pride flag down.
WIND POINT — How did residents respond when their neighborhood association requested that their rainbow pride flag be taken down? They lit up the neighborhood with pride.
Last week, homeowners Memo Fachino, 35, and Lance Mier, 36, gathered floodlights from their basement and online to unveil a rainbow light show in their front yard.
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“We thought it was a funny way to still show what we wanted to express and represent,” said Fachino.
Soon, this display reached a viral audience overnight after Fachino posted it on the r/MaliciousCompliance Reddit forum, leading to features in numerous newspapers, on TV news programs and websites.
Fachino received an overwhelming number of responses, with many commenters airing their own frustrations with homeowner associations.
“A lot of people are too enamored with HOAs in general and get some satisfaction from sticking it to the HOA,” he said. “But that wasn’t our goal at all.”
Fachino serves as a co-director board member of his HOA, the Wind Meadows Corporation. He said that this one situation isn’t representative of his experience in the neighborhood.
“I don’t have a vendetta against my neighbors, my HOA or co-directors on the board,” he said.
Debie Truckey, vice president of the Wind Meadow Corporation’s board, declined to comment on the situation. Other board members did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
The pride flag
June is also Pride Month. Pride flags are currently flying above Racine’s City Hall and the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison.
No-fly zone
Fachino and Meir have been living in their Wind Point neighborhood for nearly five years and have a notable presence.
During the holiday season, the couple creates and displays elaborate homemade decorations right in their front yard to make their home feel welcoming to the community.
Memo Fachino, left, and Lance Mier stand in front of their front yard in Wind Point in October 2019, where they have an elaborate Halloween di…
Since moving in, Fachino and Meir have often flown a pride flag on their front porch.
“We’ve always displayed our pride flag. But over the past year or two, political support has been more present everywhere, not only in our community,” Fachino said. “And that’s led to some discussions between other neighbors displaying opinion flags.”
For the past year, the Wind Meadows Corporations’ guides and regulations have been under review, with board members going through a list of updates and changes needing to be approved.
Fachino mentioned homeowners in the past have butted heads over political disagreements for having “opinion” flags like “Black Lives Matter” or “Thin Blue Line” flags displayed on their property. Due to these experiences, the HOA decided to restrict the presentation of having any flag displayed in the front of homes, with the exception of the U.S. flag.
Fachino mentioned that policies are subject to change at any time. However, board members struggle with creating language that draws the line between “appropriate” and “inappropriate” flag displays.
“(The board) were open to reviewing the policy if anyone could come up with wording that would make it possible,” said Fachino.
A prideful example
The update to the flag rule was enacted at the end of April. The next day, a neighbor reported Fachino and Meir’s pride flag for violating the rule.
Even with this on his mind, Fachino said: “I still knew that the rule wasn’t aimed at us or our pride flag, but a rule that would prevent any future altercations.”
Fachino and Mier were able to display their lights due to a loophole in the HOA’s new rules that said “removal of exterior lighting doesn’t require approval from the board.”
Since their creative project, Fachino says his neighborhood has been supportive of the situation and is appreciative to have the ability to showcase pride.
“We hope,” Fachino said, “that if any other person is struggling in other neighborhoods or families with acceptance, we want to show them there is acceptance beyond their immediate circle.”
IN PHOTOS: 2020 Pride without Prejudice march calls to attention deaths of black transgender people
PRIDE WITHOUT PREJUDICE
A Black Lives Matter supporter holds a sign stating “I Can’t Breathe,” during Sunday’s Pride Without Prejudice event.
PRIDE WITHOUT PREJUDICE
Kenosha Pride Inc., which organized Sunday’s event, was on hand giving away free hand sanitizers and face masks — which were strongly encouraged to be worn during the event — to attendees at the start of Sunday’s event.
PRIDE WITHOUT PREJUDICE
Attendees of Sunday’s Pride Without Prejudice were also given the opportunity to learn information about registering to vote at the event through local resident Ariel Crowder, who could be seen walking among the crowd and disbursing information throughout the event.
PRIDE WITHOUT PREJUDICE
Jordan Braxton, who spoke during the Pride Without Prejudice event held Sunday, uses a megaphone to address the crowd in Library Park.
PRIDE WITHOUT PREJUDICE
A supporter carries a sign focusing on Breonna Taylor while marching along Sheridan Road from Library Park to Veterans Memorial Park Sunday.
PRIDE WITHOUT PREJUDICE
A mixture of signs focusing on the Black Lives Matter movement and in support of the LGBTQ community could be seen in the hands of attendees during Sunday’s Pride Without Prejudice event.
PRIDE WITHOUT PREJUDICE
A mixture of signs focusing on the Black Lives Matter movement and in support of the LGBTQ community, such as this one stating, “Love who you want regardless of race,” could be seen in the hands of attendees during Sunday’s Pride Without Prejudice event.
PRIDE WITHOUT PREJUDICE
Dan Seaver, president of Kenosha Pride, Inc., stands on the corner of Sheridan Road and 56th Street in Kenosha holding a sign stating, “Black trans lives matter,” as supporters of the Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ communities pass by along Sheridan Road.
PRIDE WITHOUT PREJUDICE
A Kenosha Pride supporter donned in rainbow colors holds her fist in the air while marching wearing a #BLM face mask along Sheridan Road Sunday afternoon during Kenosha Pride, Inc.’s Pride Without Prejudice event.
PRIDE WITHOUT PREJUDICE
A mixture of signs focusing on the Black Lives Matter movement and in support of the LGBTQ community could be seen in the hands of attendees during Sunday’s Pride Without Prejudice event.
PRIDE WITHOUT PREJUDICE
Ron Dean Brown, right, and Sara Ann Chopp march with other Pride Without Prejudice participants along 54th Street towards Veterans Memorial Park with their hands up during Sunday’s event.
PRIDE WITHOUT PREJUDICE
Chantel Marie addresses the crowd through a megaphone in Veterans Memorial Park during Sunday’s Pride Without Prejudice event.
PRIDE WITHOUT PREJUDICE
A supporter raises their fist in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and the LGBTQ community during Sunday’s Pride Without Prejudice event.