S2E1. The Housing Affordability Crisis, the YIGBY Movement & Rescue Missions

This podcast focuses on the multifaceted housing affordability crisis in the United States, and potential solutions. First, it highlights how restrictive zoning laws and NIMBYism (Not In My Backyard) perpetuate segregation and limit housing supply, driving up housing costs and exacerbating homelessness. It traces the historical evolution of these barriers, from explicit racial zoning to seemingly neutral policies that still disproportionately impact marginalized communities.
Then, the podcast describes how the YIGBY (Yes in God's Backyard) movement could be a potential solution for this crisis. This movement advocates for faith-based organizations (FBOs) to use some of their land for affordable housing development, making use of policy reforms like "by-right" zoning, density bonuses, and streamlined permitting.
The podcast details new collaborative models where rescue missions and similar organizations can work together with qualified developers and other nonprofits, in order to create more affordable housing opportunities. The YIGBY movement is addressing how homelessness rates are driven in part by lack of affordable housing, and your mission could be part of it.
You can find any articles and research related to this episode as well as how we developed this podcast here or using the link below.