A new neighborhood in Gastonia, North Carolina will require all residents to fly the American flag in front of their property.
"We're going to install the flag as part of the design of the home," Mr. Fankhauser explained. "It's an architectural element. It's there the day you take possession of the home and close on it. From that point on, it's each homeowner pledging to one another. It's a promise, it's a covenant. And so as long as the people who live in those homes continue with their covenants and their pledges to one another, the flags will fly."
Residents of the 55-and-up community, which is being built by Great American Homes, will be required to affirm their allegiance to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, as well as to supporting the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.
Additionally, they must promise loyalty to each other and commit to the neighborhood’s future.
"We embrace freedom," Mr. Fankhauser said. "That's obviously foundational to the American story."
"To come after people with the heavy hand and penalties doesn't strike me as consistent with founding ideals," he continued. "So we are heavily reliant on the mutual pledges that people make to each other."
Mr. Fankhauser stressed that the neighborhood is not aligned with any political party.
"I've also said it's very important for us to distance ourselves from any political movement, any political party, and any political figures," he said. "We are completely detached from that."
1776 Gastonia wants to discover ways to give back to the community. Mr. Fankhauser promised to provide a wounded veteran a mortgage for every house they built.
"We've already selected the couple who are going to be the first recipients of this," he said. "It's Sgt. Peter Clark and his wife, Army Specialist Kelly Clark. They were presented three weeks ago with this gift."
"We're going to start building their house next month," Mr. Fankhauser said. "They'll move in early 2024 and they’ll be able to live in the first 1776 community mortgage-free."