YIGBY Movement Creates Innovative Housing Shortage Response
APARTMENT ADVOCATE
HOW THE MOVEMENT IS ADDRESSING THE NATION’ S SUPPLY SHORTAGE.
The Yes In God’ s Back Yard( YIGBY) movement is gaining momentum across the country, offering an innovative approach to address the nation’ s housing supply crisis. This legislation encourages the development of multifamily housing on land that has traditionally been underutilized, usually land owned by faith-based institutions and colleges. This is done by streamlining the permitting process and providing relief from restrictive zoning laws and other exclusionary land use policies that threaten to block multifamily projects.
Since 2023, nine states have considered YIGBY legislation: Arizona, California, Colorado, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New York, Texas, Virginia and Washington State. Here are two prominent examples.
CALIFORNIA
Governor Gavin Newsom of California signed the Affordable Housing on Faith Lands Act( SB 4) into law in 2023. The law allows faith-based organizations and non-profit colleges to construct affordable housing on land that has been owned since January 1st,
www. aamdhq. org
2024. These projects are“ use by right,” meaning that they are not subject to the typical permitting process if they meet certain criteria. In addition, the“ use by right” status exempts them from local zoning ordinances and regulations. Developments under the law must align with environmental, density and height regulations and must be deed-restricted for affordable housing for a minimum of 55 years for rental properties.
COLORADO
Colorado HB 25-1169 takes a broader perspective on YIGBY policy. The bill opens development opportunities to faith-based organizations, school districts, and state colleges and universities. This also allows the construction of housing and other community facilities for childcare, recreational, social and educational services, regardless of current zoning laws. Local governments are prohibited from preventing construction of residential developments on qualified property based on height, zoning or the number of units and can’ t apply stricter standards to these developments than are applied to similar housing. To qualify as affordable housing, these developments must comply with local inclusionary zoning laws, if applicable, or set rent rates that are equal to or below 120 % of the area median income. The bill passed the Colorado House and is currently under consideration in the State Senate.
NAA’ S OUTLOOK
The U. S. must build 4.3 million new apartment homes by 2035 to meet the nation’ s demand. It is critical that lawmakers at every level of government prioritize pro-housing policies that lower barriers to construction, development and renovation to address the nation’ s need for quality housing across all price points.
YIGBY legislation could be an important tool in policymakers’ toolbox to boost the supply of affordable housing and will pave the way for further deregulation of local zoning laws that oftentimes prevent the construction of high demand housing. NAA continues to support its affiliate partners’ advocacy and track housing policy trends for its members at the state and local levels of government.
To learn more, please contact publicpolicy @ naahq. org.
47 | TRENDS MAY 2025