Homeowner posting on "Next-door XXXX"

Some of you have been following my posts about the neighborhood I have rental house in - recall I am on the BoD and am the secretary. Also recall, please, this is mostly a neighborhood of residents who are 55-85.

We are slowly and nicely notifying folks that have egregious issues with their properties - in accordance with our CC&Rs by which all are bound.

A resident noted the ACC chair sticking a notice (not a formal letter, but simply a "please and thank you") to their mailpost asking them to mow their grossly unmoved lawn, and to remove the basketball goal from view. These are the first "nice notes" prior to more formal letters ... we are trying to keep it calm and pleasant.

Question: given these circumstances, what would your BoD do, if anything, with the following note that was posted on Nextdoor by a resident, but not a paying member (ever) of the HOA (recall our HOA is "voluntary?"

"ok this is to whoever does the home owner association in xxxx. me and my family was sitting in the yard and a lady got out her car and walked to my mailbox and put a note on it, instead of introducing herself. she got back in her car and pulled off. RUDE, so i pick up the note and it said to move the basketball goal and cut your grass i did it. but the lady should have confronted me.please dont ever put your hand on my mailbox. this neighborhood is starting to piss me off. its some ignornat people who pass my house and dont speak not even to my kids. i own my house where not going no where matterfact we did a 15yr mortage got 5 more to go. some people walk with their nose in the air, i hope u dont trip off your own dog shxx. i come from nothing and work hard to get where im at and im only 30 and living the whole community's retirement dream. speed limit is 30 so stop telling me to slow down i wont hit you. i listen to music so stop looking crazy when i pass by. im very respectful but i advise yall to stop disrespecting my family like we havent been out here 10 yrs. both my neighbors are sweet but majority is a itch on my ass."

So, other than the great humor of misspelling "ignorant" and the irony of "I'm very respectful...," what would you do, or not do?

BTW - I have recommended there be no response, as this usually just turns into a battle of useless words. Others on the BoD think we should answer and try and get the homeowner feel welcome and "to win him over."

As I’ve posted previously, the HOA simply doesn’t have the money to mail letters.

The notes are taped to the post to avoid the mailbox.

The question is - given the rant from the owner, what does the BoD do or not do?

What I would have done would have been to introduce myself and use it as an educational session (for both parties). I may have found out that their lawn mower is broken. They would have found out that I wasn't being a pain but simply doing a job and would have had an opportunity to see how things could be done better. Who knows, it might have been a future volunteer I was talking to.

That said, what I would do and what you would do can be two different things based on our individual past experiences. I understand that some individuals take such a suggestion defensively and become angry. This could make the deliverer concerned for their safety.


Personally, I would not comment on social media. If the individual had written to or spoken with a board member, then a response would be proper.