Lack of homeowner participation

I must admit that I'm pretty amazed at the level of apathy that I see in some of the communities. I continually stress to residents that based on my experience, the few are creating rules and implementing policy for the many. I typically see about 5-15% turnout in the HOA meetings and this is not the most favorable scenario for a well run community. In light of the current economy and the risk of foreclosures and budget deficits in the communities, the HOAs are highly dependent upon the proactive participation of the homeowners.