A group of residents from the Lansdowne on the Potomac community have banded together to create a new online forum where users can chat about restaurants, local school news and neighborhood issues.

Along the same vein as other community sites - like those in Broadlands, Cascades and Brambleton - site administrator Nancy Abramson said the goal of the Lansdowne Forum is to provide an "open, easy-to-use messaging service for friends and residents" of the neighborhood.

Already being discussed on the Lansdowne Forum are some controversial homeowners association issues, including the ongoing legal battles between the HOA and resident daycare operators, the disbanding (firing, some argue) of several HOA committees and covenant issues, including a proposal to ban trampolines in the community.

Personally, I think these public forums - if moderated properly - can be wonderful tools for neighborhood communications and HOA transparency. Some, however, think these forums encourage mob-like behavior and have a vicious tendency to spread untruths.

How do you get your neighborhood news? And, if you live in an HOA community, how do board members keep you updated on community information?

For Lansdowne on the Potomac residents: the next HOA Board of Directors meeting is scheduled for this evening at 6:30 p.m. in the Potomac Club Ballroom. For more information, click here.

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