Community Guidelines

Our Core Values

At Neighborhood Connect, we believe in:

• Respect: Treat all community members with kindness and consideration.
• Trust: Build relationships based on honesty and reliability.
• Helpfulness: Support your neighbors and contribute positively to the community.
• Inclusivity: Welcome and respect people of all backgrounds and identities.
• Responsibility: Take care of borrowed items and follow through on commitments.

General Conduct

1. Be respectful and courteous in all interactions, both online and in person.
2. Communicate clearly about expectations, timelines, and any issues that arise.
3. Honor your commitments whether you're lending an item, providing a service, or attending an event.
4. Respond promptly to messages and requests from other community members.
5. Provide honest feedback through reviews and ratings to help maintain community quality.

Items & Rentals

1. Provide accurate descriptions of items you're offering for rent, including condition and any limitations.
2. Return items on time and in the same condition you received them.
3. Report any damage promptly and honestly, and be prepared to cover repair or replacement costs if you caused damage.
4. Clean items before returning them to show respect for the owner and future borrowers.
5. Only list items that you own or have permission to rent out.

Services

1. Be honest about your skills and qualifications when offering services.
2. Provide services as described and communicate promptly if you encounter any issues.
3. Set clear expectations about pricing, timeline, and scope of work.
4. Respect privacy and property when providing services in someone's home.
5. Follow through on agreements and maintain professional standards.

Community Discussions & Events

1. Stay on topic in forum discussions and community threads.
2. Be constructive in your comments and feedback.
3. Avoid controversial topics such as politics or religion unless in appropriate designated forums.
4. Respect diverse viewpoints even when you disagree.
5. Keep event descriptions accurate and notify attendees of any changes.

Prohibited Behavior

The following behaviors are not tolerated on Neighborhood Connect:

• Harassment or bullying of any kind, including offensive comments about race, gender, religion, or other personal characteristics.
• Hate speech or discriminatory language.
• Threatening or violent language directed at any community member.
• Spam or commercial solicitation outside of appropriate marketplace sections.
• Sharing illegal content or promoting illegal activities.
• Creating multiple accounts to manipulate ratings or circumvent guidelines.
• Violating others' privacy by sharing personal information without consent.

Safety Guidelines

To ensure your safety when using Neighborhood Connect:

• Meet in public places for initial exchanges when possible.
• Let someone know when you're meeting a new community member.
• Trust your instincts and leave any situation that feels unsafe.
• Verify identities through our platform before meeting in person.
• Inspect items carefully before renting or borrowing to document their condition.
• Keep all communication on the platform until you've established trust.

Conflict Resolution

If you encounter an issue with another community member:

1. Communicate directly with the other person first to try resolving the issue.
2. Stay calm and respectful even when frustrated.
3. Focus on solutions rather than blame.
4. Document relevant information including messages and photos if applicable.
5. If direct communication doesn't work, use our dispute resolution process through Support.

Consequences for Violations

Violations of these guidelines may result in:

• Warnings or temporary restrictions on account features
• Removal of content that violates guidelines
• Temporary suspension of account privileges
• Permanent ban from the platform in severe cases

Our moderation team reviews reported violations on a case-by-case basis and makes decisions based on the severity and pattern of behavior.