The story of Col. Van T. Barfoot, a Richmond area medal of honor winner whose homeowners association demanded that he remove a flag pole and the American flag he flew upon it, prompted the Virginia General Assembly to pass a law in 2010 placing restrictions on homeowners associations that seek to impose rules about the display of the American flag within their borders.

Effective July 1, 2010, this law specifically gives Virginians who live in homeowners associations the right to fly the American flag in accordance with federal law. It also restricts the kinds of rules homeowners associations can enforce against flag displays. The rules are limited to size, placement, and duration of the display of the flag. If the association wants to enforce its rules against a homeowner, it must prove that the flag display harms its interests.