Privacy Policy

Effective Date: January 6, 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how OpenHOA ("the Platform," "we," "us") collects, uses, stores, and protects information. The Platform is designed as an observational research system with strong privacy-preserving controls and data-minimization principles.

1. Guiding Privacy Principles

The Platform is built around the following principles:

Data minimization: Collect only what is necessary to support research and analytics.
Aggregation by default: Public outputs are aggregated and anonymized.
Separation of layers: Reports, evidence, analytics, and contributor metadata are stored and accessed separately.
Harm reduction: Prevent re-identification, doxxing, and misuse of sensitive information.
Auditability: Administrative access and changes are logged.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Contributor Account Information

Contributor accounts are required to support auditability, abuse prevention, and fair evaluation of submissions. In connection with account creation and report submission, the platform may collect:

Username or account handle
Email address (stored securely for authentication and communication)
Account holder name (not publicly displayed)
Account creation date and activity metadata
Role designation and permission level

This information is used solely for platform operation, security, and integrity purposes. Personally identifiable information is not included in public views, aggregated analyses, or published outputs.

2.2 Report Data (User Submissions)

When a report is submitted, the Platform may collect:

Selected HOA and general location indicators (e.g., ZIP code–derived lookup)
Violation category (from a controlled taxonomy)
Reported date
Optional free-text summary
Confidence-related metadata (status, timestamps, history)

Exact street addresses are not stored in the analytics layer. If temporarily processed for deduplication or sequence detection, they are immediately transformed into non-reversible linkage tokens and discarded.

2.3 Uploaded Evidence

Submission of a report requires uploading the associated notice or communication (including PDFs or email files) to provide contextual grounding and support review.

All uploaded evidence is handled as follows:

Stored in restricted, access-controlled systems
Processed through automated PII detection and redaction
Reviewed internally using redacted versions only
Never displayed publicly or released in raw form

Contributors remain responsible for the legality of submitted materials, including any personal information contained therein. The platform does not verify ownership or authorization of submitted documents and relies on contributors to comply with applicable legal requirements.

2.4 Technical and Security Signals

To protect data integrity and prevent abuse, the Platform collects limited technical signals, including:

Privacy-preserving device fingerprints
Hashed IP-related indicators
Submission timing patterns
Account age and activity counts

These signals are used only for security, anti-gaming detection, rate limiting, and trust scoring. They are not used for advertising or tracking across other sites.

3. How We Use Information

We use collected information to:

Generate aggregated research analytics
Assess confidence levels and issuer plausibility
Detect corroboration and reduce coordinated manipulation
Moderate content and resolve disputes
Maintain platform security and reliability

We do not sell personal data or use it for targeted advertising.

4. Public vs. Restricted Data Access

4.1 Public Access

Unauthenticated users may view:

Aggregated HOA-level or grid-level analytics
Normalized and confidence-weighted statistics
Trends and comparisons that meet minimum sample thresholds

Public views never include:

Individual reports
Contributor identities
Exact locations
Raw or redacted evidence documents
Platform-generated interpretations of individual enforcement actions

4.2 Administrative Access

Moderators and administrators may access:

Individual reports (for moderation and dispute resolution)
Redacted evidence previews
Confidence histories and audit trails

All such access is role-restricted and logged.

5. Data Retention

Account and report metadata may be retained for research continuity.
Evidence documents may be retained in redacted form for audit and dispute purposes.
Trust and confidence histories are retained to preserve analytic integrity.
Data may be deleted or anonymized upon lawful request, subject to technical and research constraints.
Retention periods may evolve and will be documented if materially changed.

6. Disputes, Corrections, and Deletions

Users, HOAs, and management companies may request:

Review of specific reports
Adjustments to confidence levels
Annotations noting disputed interpretations
Removal or suppression of content where appropriate

Corrections are handled through documented moderation workflows and do not imply fault or wrongdoing.

7. Data Sharing

We do not share personal data with third parties except:

When required by law, regulation, or court order
To trusted service providers strictly necessary for platform operation (e.g., hosting, security), under confidentiality obligations
Aggregated, anonymized datasets may be used for academic or public-interest research

8. Security Measures

We employ reasonable technical and organizational safeguards, including:

Access controls and role-based permissions
Encryption in transit and at rest where appropriate
Audit logs for sensitive actions
Rate limiting and abuse detection

No system is completely secure, and users submit information at their own risk.

9. Children's Privacy

The Platform is not intended for use by individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors.

10. Changes to This Policy

This Privacy Policy may be updated as the Platform evolves. Material changes will be reflected by an updated effective date and, where appropriate, additional notice.

11. Contact

For privacy-related questions, concerns, or requests, contact:

[email protected]