HOA says neighbors are decorating for spectacular display too early

PORT ORANGE, Fla. – Dozens of homeowners in the Water’s Edge community in Port Orange are fighting their Homeowners Association to keep a big Christmas tradition going that all started to support a little girl going through a tough time.

The residents told News 6 they have to start decorating early to get it all done by Christmas but now their HOA is telling them to stop.

Amber Mastantuano and her family started the tradition of making their home a Christmas spectacle five years ago.

“Every year we do the Port Orange city light contest. Everybody comes by. My husband, the first two weekends before Christmas, dresses up like Santa, I write back to all of the kids that leave letters in the mailbox. We’ve never, ever had a complaint,” she said.

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The Mastantuanos started doing it for their daughter, who had a severe heart condition, wanting to give her the biggest Christmas each year.

“In March, our daughter received her heart transplant and we were absolutely elated because the last 13 years we always wondered if we would have another holiday or birthday,” said Mastantuano.

Other residents quickly jumped on board with going all out and now over a dozen decorate their homes to the point people from around the area pay them a visit to look at the lights.

On Nov. 5 this year they all received letters from their HOA. It cites a bylaw that says homeowners can only place signs on their lawns 30 days prior to a holiday. The HOA gave them 14 days to take down all of the lights and decorations that they’ve put up so far.

Mastantuano said they typically start decorating in the days around Halloween with subtle Christmas lights and then after Halloween, start putting everything up, usually finishing around Thanksgiving.

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“I put more lights up,” said resident Geoff Menneto after receiving his letter to stop.

News 6 reached out to the HOA president and management team Friday but did not get a response.

The neighbors said the fight isn’t over and their Christmas cheer isn’t going anywhere.

“We’re continuing our tradition. We’re still decorating. We still have a lot to go and that’s what our plan is,” said Mastantuano.

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Molly joined News 6 at the start of 2021, returning home to Central Florida.