A family in Colorado won a big fight against their homeowners’ association, and their giant 28-foot inflatable Santa can now stay up for Christmas. The community of Severance came together to save the huge decoration after the HOA tried to make them take it down just weeks before the holiday.
According to the Daily Mail, the decoration belongs to Dora Flores, who saved money for months to buy and put up this massive inflatable in her backyard. The Santa is nearly three stories tall, and neighbors loved it. Many people stopped to take photos when they passed by the Flores home.
But last week, Flores got a letter from Fromm & Company LLC, the firm that manages the Severance homeowners association. The letter said the decoration broke neighborhood rules because it was too tall. The HOA told the family to remove the inflatable right away and warned them about possible fines and legal fees if they didn’t take it down.
The community wasn’t having any of this nonsense
Flores went online on December 15 to tell her neighbors what was happening. She said the demand broke her heart, but she felt lucky to have neighbors who wanted to help. However, she didn’t want money. Instead, she asked the community to email or call Fromm & Company and tell them how they really felt about removing Santa. She wanted everyone to help keep the inflatable up until Christmas Day.
The community acted fast. Neighbors made signs that said “We stand with Santa” and started putting up their own giant inflatables. This isn’t the first time HOAs have created controversial decoration rules that upset residents. Cody Bowden, who lives across the street from Flores, set up a giant snowman that was similar in size to Santa.
“Definitely now, I won’t take it down. I don’t see that this is anything offensive or anything wrong,” he said. Another neighbor added a third huge inflatable, a reindeer, creating an impressive holiday display.
The HOA couldn’t ignore this kind of pressure. Soon after the news spread and the community rallied, Flores got a call from Fromm & Company. A spokesperson said sorry and admitted they “made a mistake.” They gave permission for the Santa to stay up.
Just two days after asking for help, Flores shared the good news online and thanked everyone who sent emails and calls to the HOA. She wrote that it was a blessing to see the community come together. “We are blessed to have neighbors in our community who are willing to help us pay for fees,” she wrote.
Stories like this show how neighbors can stand up together against unfair rules. The HOA made a mistake in underestimating their love for giant Santa. A similar 26-foot Santa costs about $800, so this family put real effort and money into their display.
Published: Dec 19, 2025 07:52 am