YIMBY Act Finds New Support in Congress

The bipartisan consensus that the federal government should do more to support communities facing housing shortages has grown this Congress. From greenlighting two rounds of pro-housing planning funding to the launch of the Yes in My Backyard Caucus, members of the 118th Congress have demonstrated their willingness to better partner with communities on housing reform.

While legislative action in the 118th Congress is winding down, leaders may yet pass the APA-endorsed Yes in My Backyard (YIMBY) Act (H.R. 3507 and S. 1688) —one of several federal opportunities to increase local housing production this year.

What Is It?

The YIMBY Act would give planners another tool to identify local regulatory barriers to affordable and market-rate housing development and to build support for local reform through reporting requirements for communities receiving Community Development Block Grant funds. With this legislation comes transparency. The bill recognizes that zoning reform is the first step to addressing the nation's estimated 3.85 million home deficit — an idea that planners nationwide are embracing.

The bill enjoys robust bipartisan, bicameral support with outgoing Representative Derek Kilmer (D-WA06) leading the charge in the House and Senator Todd Young (R-IN) in the Senate. To date, seven senators and 45 House members have signed on to co-sponsor the YIMBY Act, including key players in both parties working with APA to create more support for housing opportunities at the federal level.

Housing costs are spiraling out of control - you need to make six figures to buy the average home in 23 states now.

We need solutions like the Yes In My Backyard Act to deliver housing for the next generation of American families. pic.twitter.com/ayAVkVg8fF

— Rep. Mike Flood (@USRepMikeFlood) April 2, 2024

How Did We Get Here?

The YIMBY Act was first introduced into the House and Senate during the 117th Congress in 2021, and then once again in the 118th Congress. Over the past two years, H.R. 3507 and S. 1688 have moved a bit throughout their respective committees. The House Financial Services Committee unanimously approved the bill, which is a strong sign of bipartisan support. Even though YIMBY did pass the full House in the last Congress, this session, the bills have largely remained in the same place without yet reaching the House or Senate floor. However, there have been ongoing discussions on the backend about the movement before the end of the session this year.

As part of my #FairShotAgenda I've been working to improve housing affordability in #Indiana. Today I intro'd the Yes In My Backyard Act to combat the burdensome & discriminatory local land use policies that drive up housing costs in America's communities. https://t.co/cn0Wkh7oJE

— Senator Todd Young (@SenToddYoung) June 20, 2019

Planners Support YIMBY

APA sees the YIMBY Act as an opportunity to highlight the positive impacts of the federal role on housing supply and production and a way to demonstrate the planning profession's support for local reform. This bill is one piece of a multi-pronged effort to secure the support planners need to solve their community's unique housing challenges.

There is a chance that this bill can still move through the House before the end of the session. The House version of this bill could quickly pass through via an expedited process and move forward with a two-thirds majority vote. A House passage would give the measure significant momentum in the new Congress come January.

We need more workforce housing, more senior housing, more homeless housing, and more affordable housing.

We need more housing units, period.

That's why I'm leading legislation to reduce barriers to housing construction and build more affordable housinghttps://t.co/DkBMguKMgu

— Rep. Derek Kilmer (@RepDerekKilmer) May 13, 2021

With the passage of this bipartisan legislation, planners will be better positioned to create housing opportunities for all.