The post carried the subreddit flair, "Pull up the drawbridge! There are peasants at the gate!" and folks on Reddit zeroed in on the note's attempt to police trick-or-treaters. The letter appeared to warn residents about outsiders attempting to enjoy Halloween in the neighborhood.
In addition, the letter framed the issue as one of neighborhood integrity and child experience. It suggested that out-of-area kids posed a threat to candy supplies and property. Although Halloween has always been a community-wide event, regardless of where people lived, this HOA seemed determined to gatekeep plastic pumpkins and fun-size bars.
The note began, "As we prepare for Halloween, the [redacted] HOA board would like to address an ongoing concern that has affected the quality of our neighborhood's celebration in recent years."
It quickly set a serious tone and read, "Our community has long taken pride in offering a safe, charming, and well-organized Halloween experience; something that unfortunately has attracted large groups from outside neighborhoods." According to the HOA, outsiders "crowd our streets, and diminish the experience for our own children."
The HOA mentioned "depleted candy supplies" and "instances of property damage." To solve this supposed crisis, it described a plan to ban those from outside the neighborhood, including having volunteers to monitor vehicles between 6 pm and 8 pm on Oct 31.
"Residents expecting guests from outside the neighborhood are encouraged to make alternate plans," it continued.
Folks reacted negatively, with many bristling at the idea of Halloween gatekeeping. u/not_falling_down wrote, "Oh, hell no. The HOA has no business telling anyone that they are not allowed to have guests at their own home."
Meanwhile, others questioned the policy's impact on families.
"Grandma and Grandpa can't even have thier grandkids come? Or aunt and uncle can't have thier niece or nephew join thier cousins?" u/OscarTheGrouchsCan said. "These people, really, really want to make sure the poors absolutely aren't allowed, even if they have family there."
Additionally, u/VioletSummer714 shared frustration about losing simple family traditions, saying the idea of blocking a child's excitement felt "infuriating." Another commenter, u/P_Alcantara, compared the situation to their own gated neighborhood, which let outsiders trick-or-treat and still stayed respectful. "Just give back man."
Finally, u/mumofBuddy offered a bit of levity, pretending to be an HOA member at the gate. "'Happy Halloween! Cute costume, kiddo! Now I'm gonna need to see some ID, proof of address, and at least one utility bill, if you want this candy.'"