Queen Creek gay couple’s pride flag vandalized, HOA requesting removal

QUEEN CREEK, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) - Jared and Tim Deluca from Queen Creek took to TikTok to show the intolerance they’re dealing with in their neighborhood. Their pride flag has been vandalized since it first went up in their backyard in December.

The flag faced a busy street. The intention was to let others know it’s okay to be themselves and not hide it. “The first thing that happened was one day I was outside in the back patio and I heard people screaming slurs from their car while passing behind our house. Which is funny because they didn’t know I was there. They were literally screaming at my house for the sake of screaming at it,” said Deluca.

A few days later, he said the flag was slashed. Then, someone stole the flag after breaking the flag pole. Finally, a neighbor found it and returned it. “Instantly it became apparent that we were no longer feeling safe here,” said Jared.

Jared said most of his neighbors have been supportive, but not all of them. He said a neighbor tried intimidating him outside his home. “They freaked us out pretty good. They took off down the end of the road and went around the cul-de-sac. They came back, stared us down, and then took off with tires screeching into the community,” he said.

Jared said he filed two police reports. However, last week, he opened up a letter from the Ocotillo Heights Homeowners Association that said the couple made a change to the exterior of their property that was not allowed.

Many HOAs have restrictions on where homeowners can attach a flagpole to their property. Jared said he called the community manager to figure out an alternative but was told the flag had to come down. Jared said the flag is going nowhere. “I’ve been asked over the past month, ‘Is it worth it?’ If something were to happen to you and your husband, is it worth it?’ It is,” he said.

Jared said the community manager informed him the pride flag is not covered under the Arizona Revised Statutes for flag displays. However, the statute does not allow an HOA to prohibit the installation of certain flags, such as the American, state and military branch flags.

Arizona’s Family reached out to the community manager via email and phone calls, but he has yet to respond.

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