YIMBY Efforts Gets Congressional Caucus

The Yes In My Backyard (YIMBY) movement got a boost in November with the formation of the YIMBY Congressional Caucus.

More than 25 members of the U.S. House signed up to form the caucus this week. It’s a bipartisan effort that aims to spur more homebuilding and to tackle the affordable housing and homelessness crisis. A media release from the caucus stated that the U.S. housing supply shortage, which sits between 4 and 7 million units, pushes people into homelessness as the demand for housing surpasses what is available in the housing market.

Scott Peters, D-Cali, Robert Garcia, D-Calif., and Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., and Marc Molinaro, R-NY, are among the co-founders. Maxwell Frost, the Florida Congressman from Orlando, is the only Sunshine State Congressional member currently listed as a caucus member.

“I'm proud to be a member of a bipartisan group of leaders who are fighting for everyday Americans,” said Rep. Molinaro. “The YIMBY Caucus was put in place to address the country's housing crisis and to work on solutions that promote the development of affordable housing options. Upstate New Yorkers struggle with this every day and I’m glad to address it head on.”

National Association of Home Builders chairman Carl Harris championed the creation of the caucus, saying in part, “We look forward to working with the YIMBY Caucus to address impediments to increasing the nation’s housing supply.”

The Yes In My Backyard movement, initiated in California more than a decade ago, specifically focuses on removing barriers such as restrictive zoning requirements to housing construction. It also supports affordable housing initiatives, particularly in urban areas. It’s a cheeky response to the longtime cry of Not In My Backyard. NIMBYs built a reputation for derailing housing developments by opposing proposals at municipal town hall meetings.

Tara Holterhaus, a senior associate at SpencerFare law firm, recently wrote that NIMBY members driving fears of decreasing property values are misinformed.

“Adding affordable housing for low- to middle-income individuals or families increases the population of that locality, which typically enhances economic growth,” Holterhaus wrote. “Further, local businesses, schools, and churches benefit from the increase in population. It forces government officials to consider adding or repairing infrastructure and rethink zoning regulations on new developments.

“Cities and regions that embrace development and growth tend to attract businesses, talent, and investment. They become hubs of innovation and economic activity, driving prosperity for their residents.”

Although the YIMBY movement has bipartisan support, it’s not without critics. While Vice President Kamala Harris campaigned as a YIMBY believer, President-Elect Donald Trump called some of the YIMBY policies a “war on America’s suburbs.”

In a recent interview with Politico, Garcia spoke hopefully about gaining support from Trump, noting that he’s still a developer.

“At the end of the day, we need more homes,” Garcia told Politico. “A lot of Republicans are pro-housing. We need to build housing in this country, and that doesn’t matter who the president is.”