A COUPLE has accused a homeowners association of targeting them for hanging a Black Lives Matter flag near their front door.

Somi Ekwealor, a Black man, and his wife Jenna, who is white and Latina, filed multiple discrimination lawsuits against their Idaho HOA, a board member and the HOA president, and a community manager.

The couple also sued the HOA management company, Charter Pointe; Association Management Inc.; and the subdivision’s developer, Hubble Homes.

When the Ekwealors moved to Southwest Boise, Idaho, in January 2021, they looked forward to quickly starting a family and being welcomed into the suburban community.

 Somi spent his childhood summers on his grandparents’ farm in Nampa, Idaho, about a 20-minute drive west of the state capital.

The pair said they initially enjoyed block parties and cookouts with their neighbors who had fast become friends.

When they moved into their new home they planned on decorating their house with different sports and holiday flags.

In fact, after moving in the couple immediately purchased an American flag from Costco and displayed it front and center.

Then just two months after their move, the Ekwealors learned they were expecting a son.

“It was really exciting,” Jenna told the Idaho Stateman.

But by then it seemed the couple had worn out their welcome. They said they were singled out by their HOA for violating an association rule because they flew a Black Lives Matter flag in front of their home in March 2021.

The Ekwealors allege the association retroactively wrote a new rule against them and then unfairly enforced it.

They received an email notice in July from the association asking them to take down the BLM flag. But their complaint alleges that others in the subdivision were not asked to remove their political flags.

“That notice really dampened things for us,” said Somi. “We felt like we were being discriminated against because all around the neighborhood there are all kinds of flags.”

Jace Richards, general counsel for Hubble Homes, told the Idaho Statesman that the case is still in the early stages and under Review.

“This is merely a complaint and nothing in the complaint has been proven,” said Richards. “Just because Mr. and Mrs. Ekwealor said it, doesn’t mean it’s true.”

Somi said after getting hit with the notice he surveyed the neighborhood and found 17 flags or signs on homes, including Donald Trump flags and Thin Blue Line flags, which show support for law enforcement workers.

The only other neighbor he found who also received a request to remove a BLM flag was Black. He said she told him “she felt like she was being harassed” and eventually left Idaho altogether.

“She was sick of it,” Somi said.

Jenna said the neighbor who moved away motivated them to pursue legal action.

“We’re hoping that by pushing back … others become aware of this wrongdoing, this violation of our rights,” Somi said.

The U.S. Sun has reached out to Somi and Patrick Galloway, Charter Pointe’s lawyer, for comment but has received no response as of publication.