This month, as you’re thinking about officially joining the YIMBY movement, you may be wondering what it means to say YES to housing. Let’s look at one of the main policy areas of YIMBY Action, the elimination of single-family-only zoning.
Single-family-only zoning, aka exclusionary zoning, dictates that land can only be used for detached, single-family houses. In the U.S., 75% of residential land is designated as single-family-only. This means it has literally been made illegal to have apartments, townhomes, condos, duplexes, fourplexes, and other housing on 75% of land used for homes. This has contributed greatly to making housing unaffordable, our neighborhoods segregated, and perpetuating climate change.
So what can we do about it? Cities across the United States are taking action to reverse these harmful policies. In Berkeley, CA, our East Bay YIMBY Chapter and its partners fought and eliminated exclusionary zoning in 2021. Rent prices have now decreased, contributing to a 20% decrease in homelessness. Since our YIMBYs of NoVA Chapter in Arlington, VA helped eliminate single-family-only zoning in March 2023, over 120 single-family houses have been converted to townhomes and duplexes, giving multiple families a place to live.
Many of our other Chapters around the country are still fighting this battle right now, and they need your support in passing new legislation that legalizes housing. Will you donate $50 today to help fund housing reform? Say YES to People. YES to Housing.
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