Privacy Policy

Who this policy covers

This policy applies to Lake Catatoga Connect, the community website operated by the Lake Catatoga Association for residents, homeowners, and visitors. It describes how information is handled on this site only. It does not cover other websites or services you may reach through links posted here.

Information we collect

• Account information. Your first and last name, email address, and — if you provide them during signup — your phone number and property address, which are used to confirm homeowner status against the association roster.
• Profile information. Anything you choose to add to your profile, such as a bio or profile photo.
• Content you submit. News posts, community feed posts, comments, reactions, event details and RSVPs, photos and videos, marketplace listings, service directory submissions, and private messages you send to other members.
• Usage information. Basic technical data such as approximate view counts on marketplace listings, timestamps of your activity, and standard server logs needed to keep the site running and secure.

How we use information

• To create and secure your account and verify homeowner status.
• To display the content you post to the audience you selected.
• To send you site email you have asked for or that is part of membership: sign-in links, event invitations and reminders, RSVP confirmations, notification summaries, and the weekly digest.
• To moderate content, enforce the Terms & Conditions, and respond to reports.
• To operate, troubleshoot, and improve the site.

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use it for third-party advertising.

Who can see what

Visibility on this site depends on your role and on the settings of each piece of content:

• Public. General community news, public events, and selected featured photos may be visible to anyone, including people who are not signed in. Street numbers and member contact details are hidden from signed-out visitors.
• Residents and homeowners. The community feed, member profiles, full event details, marketplace contact information, and key holder contacts require a signed-in account at the appropriate level.
• Homeowners only. Governing documents, meeting minutes, and HOA packages are restricted to verified homeowners and administrators.
• Private. Direct messages are visible to you, the recipient, and — where required to investigate abuse or comply with the law — site administrators.

Please treat anything you post as visible to your neighbors. Do not post someone else's personal information without their permission.

Service providers

We rely on a small number of vendors to run the site. These include our hosting and database provider (which stores accounts, content, and uploaded files), our transactional email provider (which delivers sign-in links, invitations, reminders, and digests), our email forwarding provider (which relays messages sent to board addresses to the current officeholder), and a weather data provider used for the current and historical conditions cards. These vendors process information only to provide their service to us.

Email and communications

Board role addresses forward to the personal email of the member currently holding that seat so that their address is not published. You can unsubscribe from digest and reminder email using the link at the bottom of those messages. Account and security email — such as sign-in links and password resets — cannot be turned off while your account is active.

Cookies and local storage

The site stores a session token in your browser so you stay signed in, and small preference values such as your last-viewed timestamp for the community feed. We do not use advertising or cross-site tracking cookies. Clearing your browser storage will sign you out.

Data retention

Content stays on the site until you delete it or an administrator removes it. Deleted posts, photos, and listings are hidden immediately and may remain in backups for a limited period. Moderation and administrative action logs are retained so the board can review decisions. When an account is closed, posts may be retained in an anonymized form so that conversation threads remain readable.

Security

Access to data is controlled by per-row database security rules tied to your account role, uploads to restricted document storage are served through short-lived private links, and passwords are stored only as salted hashes by our authentication provider. No online service can promise perfect security, so please use a unique password and tell an administrator right away if you believe your account has been accessed by someone else.

Your choices

• Review and update your profile at any time from your dashboard.
• Delete content you posted, or ask an administrator to remove it.
• Unsubscribe from digest and reminder email.
• Request a copy of the information associated with your account, or ask that your account be closed and your personal details removed.

Name and email changes are handled by an administrator so that the member roster stays accurate.

Children

Accounts are intended for adult members of the community. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 13. If you believe a child has created an account, contact an administrator and we will remove it.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as the site changes. The revision date at the top will always reflect the current version, and significant changes will be announced in community news.

Contact

Questions about this policy, or requests about your information, can be sent to the association secretary through the Board & contacts page on this site.