HeyNeighbor User Guide
Welcome to Your Connected Community! 🏡
🎥 Getting Started with HeyNeighbor AI
Watch this video to learn the basics and get up and running quickly
🎮 Interactive Demo Tour
Click through this interactive walkthrough to explore HeyNeighbor features at your own pace
Your Community, All in One Place! 🌟
HeyNeighbor makes it easy to stay connected with your community. Here's what you can do:
- Message neighbors and get instant help from our support team
- Ask your Community Assistant about rules, events, and more
- Share recommendations and connect with neighbors
- Pay HOA dues in seconds with auto-pay options
- Never miss a meeting or community event
Quick Actions to Get Started 🎯
Welcome to the Neighborhood!
We're excited to have you here! This guide will help you discover all the ways HeyNeighbor can make your community life easier and more connected. Take a few minutes to explore - your neighbors are waiting to meet you!
Ask Howdy Button 🤖
The Ask Howdy button stays available across the dashboard so you can get help without leaving the page you are using.
Help Where You Are
Use the floating AI button when you need help understanding a page, finding a feature, or deciding what to do next.
Just As Powerful as the Chat with AI Page
All the same AI help features are available through the Ask Howdy button, so you can get instant guidance without losing your place. Your history of chats gets saved to the Chat with AI chat list.
2-click checklist
- Click the AI help button from any dashboard page.
- Ask what you need to do, then follow the guidance without losing your place.
Messaging Hub 💬
Stay Connected with Your Community 🏘️
The messaging hub (found in the top navigation bar) is your communication center for connecting with neighbors and community groups.
✉️ Direct Messages
Chat privately with your neighbors one-on-one. Perfect for personal conversations and coordination.
How to Start a Chat:
- 1. Click the message icon (top navigation)
- 2. Click "New Message" or "+"
- 3. Search for a neighbor by name
- 4. Start typing your message!
Great For:
- • 🤝 Getting to know neighbors
- • 📦 Coordinating package pickups
- • 🐕 Pet sitting arrangements
- • 🚗 Carpool coordination
- • 📞 Sharing contact info
👥 Group Chats
Create or join group chats to connect with neighbors who share your interests! Group chats make it easy to coordinate activities and build community.
How to Create a Group Chat:
- 1Click the message icon in top navigation
- 2Click "New Group" or "Create Group Chat"
- 3Give your group a name (e.g., "Book Club", "Dog Walkers")
- 4Add members by searching for neighbors
- 5Start chatting!
How to Join a Group:
- • Invitation: A group member adds you directly
- • Community Groups: Some groups may be open for anyone to join - check with your neighbors!
- • Ask Around: Post in the Community Forum to find groups that match your interests
Popular Group Chat Ideas 💡
Book Club
Dog Walkers
Running Group
Parents Group
Game Night
Gardening
Event Planning
Pool Buddies
Managing Your Groups
Add Members
Invite new neighbors anytime
Edit Group Name
Rename as your group evolves
Leave Group
Exit gracefully anytime
💡Pro tip: Give your group a clear, descriptive name so members can easily find it in their message list. Include an emoji for extra personality! 🎉
Message Notifications 🔔
Red dot on message icon
You have unread messages waiting
Email notifications
Get notified of new messages via email (configure in Settings)
Getting Help 🆘
Need Assistance? We've Got You Covered! 🙋
Whether you have a question for management or need help using the platform, here are your options:
📬 Management Inbox - Message Your Community Leaders
Need to reach your HOA management, board members, or community administrators? The Management Inbox gives you a direct line to the people who run your community!
How to Send a Message:
- 1Click the message icon in the top navigation bar
- 2Select "📬 Message Management"
- 3Enter a subject line describing your inquiry
- 4Type your message and send!
Great for Questions Like:
- • "I have a question about my HOA dues"
- • "Requesting approval for exterior changes"
- • "Reporting a maintenance concern"
- • "Questions about community rules"
- • "Following up on a previous request"
- • "General community inquiries"
How It Works Behind the Scenes 🎯
Your message goes to a shared inbox that all community managers can see. This means:
Faster Response
The first available manager can help you
Team Visibility
No messages get lost or overlooked
Full History
Your conversation is saved for reference
💡Pro tip: Use clear, descriptive subject lines like "Pool Access Question" or "Parking Permit Request" so management can prioritize and respond quickly!
🤖 AI Support Assistant - Get Help Instantly!
Need help using HeyNeighbor? Our AI Support Assistant is here 24/7 to help you navigate the platform!
How to access:
- 1. Click the message icon in top navigation
- 2. Select "🤖 AI Support Assistant"
- 3. Ask your question!
Great for questions like:
- • "How do I submit a maintenance request?"
- • "Where can I find meeting minutes?"
- • "How do I set up auto-pay?"
- • "How do I RSVP for events?"
- • "I can't find the voting page"
- • "How do I update my profile?"
💡Pro tip: The AI Support Assistant helps with platform questions, while Chat with AI knows about your specific community rules and information!
Chat with AI 🤖
Meet Your Community Assistant - "Howdy" 🤠
Howdy is your personal community expert who knows everything about your HOA! Available 24/7 to answer questions about:
🏠 Community Rules
- • Pool and amenity hours
- • Pet policies
- • Parking regulations
- • Architectural guidelines
📅 Community Info
- • Board meeting schedules
- • Upcoming events
- • Contact information
- • Important dates
How to Chat with Howdy 🗨️
Click "Chat" in the sidebar
Or use the floating chat button on any page
Ask in plain English
Just type your question like you're texting a friend!
Get answers with sources
Howdy cites official documents so you know the info is accurate
Example Questions:
- • "Can I install solar panels?"
- • "What's the quiet hours policy?"
- • "When is trash pickup?"
Howdy Can Also:
- • Translate answers to your language
- • Find specific forms you need
- • Explain complex rules simply
Why Residents Love Howdy
"It's like having a board member on speed dial!" Howdy has read all your community documents and can answer questions instantly - no more digging through PDFs or waiting for email responses.
Community Hub 📰
Community Hub is the resident home base for community updates, events, daily-digest items, and the latest information from your board or management team.
Updates and Events
Read community announcements, view event details, RSVP when available, and keep track of what is happening nearby.
Daily Digest Source
Important hub activity may be bundled into email digests so you can catch up even when you do not open the dashboard daily.
2-click checklist
- Open Community Hub from the sidebar.
- Review new updates or events and RSVP when needed.
Forum 💬
Your Neighborhood's Social Network 🌐
Connect with neighbors, share recommendations, and build community! The forum is where your neighborhood comes alive online.
🌟 Popular Categories
- • Recommendations: Find trusted services
- • Pet Photos: Share your furry friends
- • Buy/Sell/Free: Neighborhood marketplace
- • Ideas & Suggestions: Improve our community
✨ Quick Actions
- • Click "Forum" in the sidebar
- • Browse or search posts
- • React with ❤️ 👍 🔥
- • Share your own stories
Share Your Voice! 🎤
Creating a Post is Easy!
- 1️⃣ Click the "New Post" button
- 2️⃣ Pick a category that fits
- 3️⃣ Write your message
- 4️⃣ Add photos if you'd like
- 5️⃣ Hit "Post" and you're done!
React to posts
Join discussions
Share news
🌟 Community Guidelines
- • Be respectful and kind to your neighbors
- • Keep discussions relevant to your community
- • No spam or promotional content
- • Report inappropriate content to moderators
Users 👥
Users is the resident directory for finding neighbors and available community contacts, depending on the privacy settings your community has enabled.
Find Neighbors
Search by name or available directory details to identify residents, board members, committee members, and service contacts.
Start Conversations
When messaging is enabled, use directory context to start a direct message with the right person.
2-click checklist
- Open Users and search for the person or household.
- Review visible details or start a message when available.
If Users is hidden or limited, your community has chosen stricter resident directory privacy.
Documents 📄
Your Community's Digital Filing Cabinet 🗄
Everything you need, organized and easy to find! No more searching through emails or paper files.
How to Find What You Need:
Click "Documents" in the sidebar
Browse by category or use the search bar
Click to view or download any document
Tip: Can't find something? Ask Howdy in the chat - he can search all documents for you!
What You'll Find Here 📖
🏠 Community Rules
- • HOA Bylaws (the official rules)
- • Community Guidelines
- • Pool & Amenity Hours
- • Pet & Parking Policies
📝 Forms You Need
- • Maintenance Request Forms
- • Home Improvement Applications
- • Guest Parking Permits
- • Amenity Reservation Forms
📅 Meeting Info
- • Board Meeting Minutes
- • Annual Meeting Records
- • Committee Reports
- • Meeting Schedules
💰 Financial Info
- • Annual Budgets
- • Financial Reports
- • Reserve Studies
- • Fee Schedules
Need to Submit a Document?
Some documents allow you to submit forms or applications directly. Look for "Submit" or "Upload" buttons on relevant document pages.
Forms 📝
Submit Requests the Easy Way! 🚀
No more paper forms or wondering if your request was received! Submit everything online and track the status.
🔧 Common Requests
- • Report maintenance issues
- • Request home improvements
- • Reserve community spaces
- • Submit complaints
✅ Benefits
- • Track your request status
- • Get email updates
- • No lost paperwork
- • Faster responses
How It Works:
- 1️⃣ Go to "Forms" in the sidebar
- 2️⃣ Choose the form you need
- 3️⃣ Fill it out online (save as you go!)
- 4️⃣ Submit and get a confirmation
- 5️⃣ Track progress in your dashboard
Guest List & Visitor Access 🚪
Add Guests Ahead of Time in Seconds ✅
If your community has Guest List enabled, you can register one-time and recurring guests directly from the Guest List page so the front desk has everything they need before arrival.
What you can do as a resident:
- • Add expected guests for today or a future day
- • Set an optional expected arrival time
- • Add recurring guests (for housekeepers, dog walkers, caregivers, etc.)
- • Remove guest entries for your household
- • View guests added by other members of your same household
How to add a one-time guest:
- 1. Open Guest List from the dashboard
- 2. Click Add Guest
- 3. Enter guest name and expected day
- 4. Optionally set expected arrival time and notes
- 5. Select your household and save
How to add a recurring guest:
- 1. Open the Recurring tab
- 2. Click Add Recurring
- 3. Enter guest/service name
- 4. Add schedule and purpose
- 5. Assign household and save
Good to know
- • Your guest list visibility is based on household, not only who created the guest.
- • Only management and designated guards can check guests in/out or deny entry.
- • If Guest List is disabled for your community, this menu item will not appear.
Tasks ✅
Tasks appears for residents when management assigns work or follow-up that should be visible to you. Use it to review what is requested and keep status clear.
Assigned Follow-Up
Review task details, due dates, related forms or messages, and any notes from management.
Clear Status
Use task status and comments to coordinate next steps without losing context in email or chat.
2-click checklist
- Open Tasks when it appears in your sidebar.
- Review the assigned item and update or respond as requested.
If Tasks is hidden, you do not currently have assigned task access in this community.
Votes 🗳️
Your Voice Matters! Have Your Say 🗣️
Important community decisions are made democratically. Cast your vote from the comfort of your home!
🗳️ What We Vote On
- • Board member elections
- • Annual budgets
- • Rule changes
- • Community improvements
- • Special assessments
🔒 Your Privacy
- • Votes are anonymous
- • Only totals are shown
- • Secure & tamper-proof
- • One vote per household
- • Verified eligibility
How to Vote:
Get notified
Email alerts for new votes
Cast your vote
Click your choice & submit
See results
Real-time vote counting
Payments 💳
Pay Dues in Under 60 Seconds! ⏱️
No more checks, stamps, or trips to the office. Pay your HOA dues online anytime, anywhere!
Quick Payment Steps:
Click "Payments" in the sidebar
Or use the payment reminder notification
Review your balance
See amount due and due date
Click "Pay Now" and you're done!
Get instant confirmation
Smart Payment Features 🎯
Payment Methods
- • Credit/Debit Cards - Visa, MC, Amex
- • Bank Transfer - Direct from checking
- • Auto-Pay - Set it and forget it!
- • One-Time - Pay when you want
✨ Auto-Pay = Peace of Mind
- • Never late = No late fees!
- • Automatic receipts via email
- • Change or cancel anytime
- • Save time every month
View statements
Email receipts
Payment history
🔒 Payment Security
All payments are processed securely through Stripe. Your payment information is encrypted and never stored on our servers.
Amenities 🏊
Amenities appears when your community enables reservations for shared spaces or facilities. Use it to see availability, rules, and booking options.
Browse Shared Spaces
Review amenity details such as hours, location, reservation rules, capacity, and any required instructions.
Request Reservations
Reserve available spaces, check request status, and review any follow-up from management.
2-click checklist
- Open Amenities and choose the shared space.
- Review rules, pick an available time, and submit the request.
If Amenities is not shown, your community has disabled the feature.
Meetings 📅
Stay Connected - Meetings Made Easy! 📹
Join meetings from your couch! No more driving to the clubhouse or missing important community discussions.
🏢 Virtual Meetings
- • Join from any device
- • One-click meeting access
- • Video/audio participation
- • Screen sharing for presentations
- • Meeting recordings available
🎉 Community Events
- • Social gatherings & BBQs
- • Holiday celebrations
- • Educational workshops
- • Pool parties & fitness classes
- • Book clubs & hobby groups
How to Participate:
Check calendar
RSVP if needed
Get reminders
Join meeting
Never Miss Important Information 📢
🏦 Required Meetings
- • Monthly Board Meetings - Usually 3rd Thursday
- • Annual HOA Meeting - Vote on budget & board
- • Budget Planning - Set dues for next year
- • Emergency Meetings - Important urgent matters
🎊 Fun Community Events
- • Seasonal Parties - Halloween, holidays, etc.
- • Summer BBQs - Get to know neighbors
- • Pool Events - Swimming & water activities
- • Interest Groups - Book clubs, walking groups
💡 Tip: Turn on calendar notifications so you never miss a meeting! Most meetings provide snacks and are a great way to stay informed about your community.
Notification Center 🔔
Stay in the Loop! 📡
Never miss important community updates! Control what notifications you receive and how you get them.
🔔 In-App Notifications
- • Click the bell icon to see all alerts
- • Red dot shows unread notifications
- • Real-time updates while you browse
- • Mark as read to clear notifications
📧 Email Alerts
- • Get important updates in your inbox
- • Choose daily digest or instant alerts
- • Never miss payment due dates
- • Configure in Settings → Notifications
What You'll Be Notified About 📢
🏠 Community News
- • Important announcements
- • Maintenance updates
- • Policy changes
- • Emergency alerts
💬 Your Activity
- • Replies to your forum posts
- • Form approval updates
- • Payment confirmations
- • Meeting reminders
⚠️ Important Alerts
- • Payment due reminders
- • Voting deadlines
- • Meeting schedule changes
- • Urgent community notices
💡 Pro Tip: Enable email notifications for payment reminders and vote deadlines so you never miss important dates, even when you're not checking the app!
Notification Types 📋
The Notification Center shows unread alerts and pending approval work. The exact alerts you see depend on your role, assigned responsibilities, and which community features are enabled.
Forms & Requests
- • Form comments and attachment activity
- • Form status updates
- • New form submissions for assigned contacts
- • User approval requests
Community Content
- • Community updates
- • Forum content reports
- • Social club posts
- • Event reminders
Notices & Violations
- • General notices
- • Emergency notices
- • Violation notices issued, escalated, or resolved
- • Resident violation reports
Tasks & Operations
- • Task assignments
- • Task completion updates
- • Subtask completion updates
- • Task comments
Reservations & Compliance
- • Amenity reservation reminders
- • Compliance deadline alerts
- • Compliance warning alerts
Approval Required
- • Document approval requests
- • Community post or event approval requests
- • Notice approval requests
- • Vote or survey approval requests
How clearing works: Regular notifications clear from the center after they are read. Approval-required notifications stay visible until someone approves, rejects, or otherwise resolves the underlying item.
Settings ⚙️
Make HeyNeighbor Work for You! ⚙️
Customize your experience and keep your information up to date. A complete profile helps you get the most out of your community platform.
How to Access Settings:
- 1️⃣ Click your name or profile picture (top-right corner)
- 2️⃣ Select "Settings" from the dropdown menu
- 3️⃣ Choose the tab for what you want to update
- 4️⃣ Make your changes and save!
What You Can Customize 🎨
🏠 Community & Account
- • Unit Information: Update your address/unit number
- • Contact Details: Phone, email, emergency contacts
- • Privacy Settings: Who can see your info
- • Profile Photo: Add a friendly face to your profile
💳 Payments & Preferences
- • Payment Methods: Add/remove credit cards
- • Auto-Pay Setup: Never miss a payment again
- • App Theme: Light mode, dark mode, or auto
- • Language: Choose your preferred language
🔔 Notification Control
- • Email Frequency: Instant, daily digest, or off
- • Alert Types: Choose what to be notified about
- • Quiet Hours: Set times for no notifications
- • Priority Alerts: Always get payment/vote reminders
🔐 Privacy & Security
- • Directory Visibility: Show/hide in member list
- • Message Settings: Who can contact you
- • Data Export: Download your information
- • Account Security: Review login history
💡 Getting Started Tip: Start by completing your profile information and setting up payment auto-pay. Then explore notification settings to get alerts that matter most to you!
Tips for Success 💡
Become a HeyNeighbor Pro! 🌟
Here are insider tips to help you get the most out of your community platform and connect better with your neighbors!
🤖 Master the AI Chat
- • Be specific: "Pool hours on weekends" vs "pool info"
- • Ask for help: "How do I submit a maintenance request?"
- • Get reminders: "When are HOA dues due?"
- • Find documents: "Show me the pet policy"
💬 Forum Success
- • Great titles: "Lost cat - orange tabby on Maple St"
- • Add photos: Pictures help with maintenance issues
- • Search first: Someone might have asked already
- • Be neighborly: Say thanks and help others too!
🔔 Never Miss Anything
- • Check daily: Quick look at notifications each day
- • Email alerts: Turn on for payments & votes
- • Follow discussions: Get updates on topics you care about
- • Calendar sync: Add meetings to your phone calendar
💰 Payment Pro Tips
- • Auto-pay = freedom: Set it once, never worry again
- • Update cards: Keep payment methods current
- • Save receipts: Download for taxes or records
- • Check statements: Review monthly for accuracy
Need Help?
Remember, the AI chat is always available for quick questions! You can also reach out to your community board members through the forum or contact information in the Documents section.
Mobile Power User Tips 📱
HeyNeighbor works perfectly on your phone! Make it even better with these mobile tricks:
🏠 Home Screen Shortcut
Add HeyNeighbor to your home screen like a real app!
🔊 Voice-to-Text
Speak your forum posts and AI questions
📷 Quick Photos
Take photos right in forms for maintenance requests
🔔 Smart Notifications
Enable for urgent alerts even when phone is locked