A homeowners association that callously ordered a Gold Star sister to remove her Memorial Day tribute to her fallen brother has issued a weak defense after facing nationwide backlash for their heartless actions.
The Daily Mail has obtained a letter from Arizona-based Trestle Management Group attempting to justify their cruel demand that Kendall Rasmusson take down a banner honoring her late brother, Sgt. John Kyle Daggett, who made the ultimate sacrifice serving in Iraq.
The letter, addressed to all Phoenix-area residents in the Desert Oasis HOA, comes after Rasmusson’s story went viral, sparking outrage across America at the HOA’s insensitive treatment of a grieving family trying to honor their hero.
In the correspondence, Trestle president Jim Baska claims the company was unaware that previous HOA managers had granted Rasmusson special permission to display the memorial banner – featuring Sgt. Daggett in his full military uniform – during specific patriotic holidays throughout the year.
We unfortunately were unaware of the previous commitment that granted this homeowner permission to display her memorial during time periods that exceed what is granted in the Association’s governing documents,” Baska wrote in what many are calling a hollow attempt at damage control.
The shocking May 7 letter that sparked the controversy had labeled the touching tribute a “nuisance” – a description that has infuriated veterans, military families, and patriotic Americans across the country.
According to documentation, Rasmusson had received official approval on January 31, 2019, to display her brother’s memorial banner during several meaningful periods throughout the year. This included continuous display from May 15 (the anniversary of Sgt. Daggett’s death) through July 14, covering Memorial Day, Flag Day, and Independence Day.
She was also permitted to honor her fallen brother three days before and ten days after Veterans Day, his birthday, and Patriot Day – a reasonable accommodation for a family that sacrificed so much for our nation.
Trestle Management Group took over the HOA operations in Surprise, Arizona, where Rasmusson lives, in November 2024. Baska is now using this transition as an excuse for their ignorance of the prior arrangement.
“This is bureaucratic heartlessness at its worst,” said veterans advocate Michael Thompson. A simple check of HOA records would have revealed this family’s special arrangement. Instead, they sent a cold, corporate letter calling a fallen hero’s memorial a ‘nuisance.'”
The original cease-and-desist letter has sparked widespread condemnation on social media, with thousands rallying behind Rasmusson and calling for the HOA to apologize and reverse their decision immediately.
My brother gave his life for this country, and they called his memorial banner a nuisance,” Rasmusson told local news outlets, her voice breaking with emotion. “He deserves to be remembered, especially on the holidays that honor our service members.”
The controversy highlights a growing problem across America where HOAs, drunk on their own petty power, prioritize rigid rule enforcement over basic human decency and patriotic values.
Legal experts note that HOAs often hide behind vague “governing documents” to justify their actions, but public pressure can force them to reconsider their positions, especially when they’re seen as attacking military families.
“HOAs need to remember they serve communities, not rule them,” said attorney Sarah Mitchell, who specializes in HOA disputes. When you’re telling a Gold Star family they can’t honor their fallen hero, you’ve lost all moral authority.
Veterans organizations have also weighed in, with several offering legal support to Rasmusson if she chooses to fight the HOA’s decision.
“Sgt. Daggett died defending the freedoms that allow HOAs to exist in the first place,” said retired Colonel James Peterson. “The least they can do is allow his family to honor his memory with dignity.”
The banner in question is not garish or inappropriate – it simply shows Sgt. Daggett in his military uniform, a proud reminder of his service and sacrifice. Neighbors have reported no complaints about the display, with many expressing support for Rasmusson’s tribute.
Social media has exploded with criticism of Trestle Management Group, with many calling for boycotts of their services and demanding they reverse their decision. The hashtag #LetKendallHonorHerHero has been trending, with thousands sharing stories of their own military losses and the importance of memorial tributes.
“This isn’t about HOA rules – it’s about basic respect for those who gave everything,” posted one Twitter user. “Shame on Trestle Management Group.”
The timing of the HOA’s demand is particularly cruel, coming just weeks before Memorial Day – a time when Americans unite to honor those who died in military service.
Baska’s letter attempts to shift blame to the previous management company and claims ignorance of the prior arrangement, but critics argue this is no excuse for their insensitive handling of the situation.
“A simple conversation with Ms. Rasmusson would have cleared this up,” said neighbor Patricia Williams. Instead, they sent a nasty letter calling her brother’s memorial a nuisance. That tells you everything about their priorities.”
The HOA industry has faced increasing criticism in recent years for overreach and insensitive enforcement of rules, but this case has struck a particularly raw nerve given its targeting of a military family’s memorial.
We’ve seen HOAs ban American flags, prohibit support ribbons, and now this,” said HOA reform advocate David Chen. “When did honoring our fallen heroes become a violation?”
Rasmusson’s arrangement was remarkably reasonable – limiting the display to specific patriotic holidays and meaningful dates. The fact that it had been approved and honored for five years before Trestle’s takeover makes their actions even more inexcusable.
As public pressure mounts, questions are being raised about whether Trestle Management Group will reverse course and honor the original agreement, or continue to hide behind bureaucratic excuses while disrespecting a fallen hero’s memory.
My brother didn’t die in Iraq so that an HOA could tell his family how to honor him,” Rasmusson said. “This banner stays up.”
The controversy serves as a stark reminder that while our service members fight and die for American freedoms abroad, their families often face petty tyranny from HOAs at home.
As Memorial Day approaches, Americans are rallying behind Rasmusson, demanding that Trestle Management Group and the Desert Oasis HOA do the right thing: apologize for their insensitive actions and allow this Gold Star sister to honor her fallen hero as previously agreed.
Until then, the full letter from Trestle stands as a monument to corporate cowardice – a pathetic attempt to justify the unjustifiable harassment of a grieving military family trying to keep their hero’s memory alive.
Sgt. John Kyle Daggett deserves better. His family deserves better. And America demands better from those who would dishonor the memory of our fallen heroes in the name of HOA conformity.
