The Housing Affordability Crisis, the YIGBY Movement & Rescue Missions

This podcast focuses on the multifaceted housing affordability crisis in the United States, highlighting how restrictive zoning laws and NIMBYism (Not In My Backyard) perpetuate segregation and limit housing supply, driving up costs and exacerbating homelessness. They trace the historical evolution of these barriers, from explicit racial zoning to seemingly neutral policies that disproportionately impact marginalized communities. The sources also discuss potential solutions, particularly emphasizing the YIGBY (Yes in God's Backyard) movement, which advocates for leveraging faith-based organizations (FBOs) and their underutilized land for affordable housing development. This includes policy reforms like "by-right" zoning, density bonuses, and streamlined permitting, alongside collaborative models involving FBOs, qualified developers, and non-profit organizations to create more equitable and accessible housing landscapes.