How do you start a group on Facebook?

How can I start a Facebook group with my neighbors (whom I don't know) without stepping on the HOA's toes?

• I asked my HOA why they didn't have a Facebook group, and they said they do not have one because of "privacy issues of the neighborhood".  This seems like a BS reason.  Have other HOAs moderated Facebook groups?

• Answer:

  Go to: [  http://www.nextdoor.com/  ] You can set up your neighborhood online.  You will need to know all of the addresses in your HOA.  Once it is set up Nextdoor will mail postcards to everyone inviting them to join. Alternatively, you can type up your own flyers and mail them to your neighbors.  If you have access to email addresses you can let them know about the 'new neighborhood group' as well. Info about nextdoor.com: http://www.wsoctv.com/news/news/local/nearly-12000-charlotte-residents-join-nextdoorcom/ncCZT/ http://www.azcentral.com/community/peoria/articles/20131125nextdoorcom-peoria-residents.html http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?id=9331123 http://www.sacbee.com/2013/11/20/5932237/sacramento-police-reach-goal-of.html Our subdivision has a Facebook page which is used only for the management company to notify homeowners of HOA news.  It is really not used for social conversations other than questions and complaints to the manager. So when a homeowner started up the Nextdoor site, it was quite exciting and it has a lot more followers that the Facebook page because lots of people don't have Facebook or don't want to share their personal information with strangers. Nextdoor works well because you only put the information on there that you want.  Since our site has started we have returned several lost dogs to their owners, we have caught bandits destroying mailboxes, we have caught a guy breaking in to houses through the back door, we have spread news about a couple that were missing and then found dead a week later in the mountains, we have talked about the irrigation system not working, we know who in the neighborhood is running a daycare, who is a landscaper etc...  We get more neighbors signing up every month. The best thing about it is that the HOA management can't say a thing about it.  :-)