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Shelterforce’s investigative reporter Shelby R. King wrote two pieces about YIMBY (Yes in My Back Yard) groups in 2022, including one that focused on shared interests between YIMBY supporters and […]

Yes in My Back Yard activists started with a simple—and some would say simplistic—argument: to solve the nation’s housing crisis we just need to build more housing, of any type and in as many places as possible. But as the movement nears a decade of existence, some of its members argue that their message has become more nuanced.

The relationship between pro-building “Yes in My Back Yard” activists, longtime housing advocates, and anti-displacement organizers varies across the country, but has often been fraught with difficulties. Is there a way forward?

A culture war between housing justice advocates and YIMBYs began in 2014. While the groups have different priorities, they do have shared interests. Can they be allies or will the habitual quarreling keep them at odds?

A common narrative being promoted about why there is a housing crisis ignores history and serves to assuage new residents’ guilty feelings. But we can craft a new narrative together.

NIMBYism is often expressed as concerns about crime, congestion, schools, property values, and “quality of life.” But when developments are built these fears rarely come to pass.

We’re sharing the most-read Shelterforce posts of 2019. We hope you enjoy them all and share with anyone who may have missed them.

And how do we get more of the good and less of the bad?

ADUs are typically regulated at the local level, but advocates argue statewide legislation is what’s actually needed to get to scale. California has been aggressively leading the way.

When it comes to whether voters support building more housing as one key strategy for expanding affordability, election outcomes show the case is closed.

We have a limited number of dense core neighborhoods where getting around without a car and without a lengthy daily commute are possible.

As the housing crisis deepens, interest in faith-based development is spreading across the country. How do “Yes In God’s Backyard (YIGBY)” zoning laws work, where are they being implemented or introduced, and what could it mean for communities and churches?