“Be slow to attribute to malice or guile, that which can be explained by ignorance, incompetence, or muddling through.”
— My modification of  from Heinlein’s Razor, stolen from Napoleon

Homeowner associations are unique among nonprofits.

In a homeowner association, everyone looks out for themselves.  And they don’t hesitate to break the rules and complain about others breaking the rules.

Rule-breakers and complainers are difficult people, falling into one of five categories.

The Ignorant

These clueless souls don’t know the rules, so they are unaware of their violations.

The Incompetent

Some poor souls are just not capable of performing. They know what is expected, but their mental, physical and emotional issues limit their capability.

The Apathetic

Other people just don’t care. They are just muddling through life. About 80% fall into this category.

Those with Guile

People sometimes have an evil plan. No, not a James Altucher evil plan. These people often want revenge for some past injustice, real or imagined.

Those with Malice

Some are just evil at the core. They like to obstruct and stir things up just to see people leap through flaming hoops. Think of The Joker or Eddie Haskell on Leave It to Beaver. [Wow! That statement dated me.]

I will cover what to do about each type in a future post.