U.S. Sens. Lisa Blunt Rochester, Mark Warner of Virginia, and Andy Kim of New Jersey have introduced the Yes in God’s Back Yard (YIGBY) Act, new legislation designed to help faith-based organizations and institutions of higher education unlock the promise of their existing land holdings by transforming underused property into much-needed affordable housing. The Act would provide resources and incentives to support the development and preservation of affordable rental housing on property these institutions already own.
“If we are truly going to combat our housing affordability crisis, we need all-hands-on-deck effort,” said Sen. Blunt Rochester. “Faith-based organizations and institutions of higher education already give back to our communities in so many ways, and this would allow them to provide even more for families. I am proud to be introducing this bill alongside Sens. Warner and Kim, and I look forward to working with our colleagues to get this done.”
The YIGBY Act would:
- Provide technical assistance to faith-based organizations and institutions of higher education seeking to use their land for affordable rental housing.
- Provide technical assistance to local governments on best practices to streamline permitting and reduce barriers.
- Create $50 million per year in grants for communities that adopt policies removing barriers to affordable housing on property owned by faith-based organizations or colleges.
“Too many families are getting priced out of their communities because of the skyrocketing cost of housing,” said Sen. Warner. “If we want to make housing more affordable, we need to get creative and take advantage of opportunities that already exist. The YIGBY Act is about breaking down barriers and giving faith communities and colleges the support they need to put their land to work creating safe, affordable homes.”
It is estimated that nationwide, there is a shortage of more than seven million affordable homes for low-income families, with more than 70% of low-income families paying more than half their income on rent.
The Yes in God’s Back Yard (YIGBY) Act has endorsements from the United Church of Christ, Lutheran Services in America, LeadingAge, True Ground Housing Partners, Virginia Housing Alliance, and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC).
The bill’s sponsors have been committed to pushing the affordable housing cause, with each having introduced legislation to expand affordable housing options for Americans nationwide.
Sen. Blunt Rochester’s dedication to increasing housing affordability in Delaware and across the nation has resulted in the Housing Supply Frameworks Act, a measure that would provide resources to help communities revamp their zoning and land use regulations. Sen. Blunt Rochester also introduced the bipartisan Accelerating Home Building Act to streamline housing construction, the bicameral Choice Neighborhoods Initiative Act to permanently authorize and expand the Choice Neighborhoods Program, the bipartisan Veterans Housing Stability Act to help keep veterans and servicemembers in their homes, and the bipartisan Community Investment and Prosperity Act to unlock billions in capital for affordable housing.
In July, the Senate Banking Committee advanced a package of bipartisan housing proposals to the Senate floor which included several measures championed and supported by Sen. Warner, including the RESIDE Act, legislation drafted by Sen. Warner and Sen. Jim Banks of Indiana to create a new pilot program to help communities convert vacant buildings–such as abandoned hotels, warehouses, and strip malls–into affordable homes.
The YIGBY Act comes as a product of Blunt Rochester’s dedication to increasing housing affordability in Delaware and across the nation. The first bill that Blunt Rochester introduced in the Senate was the bipartisan and bicameral Housing Supply Frameworks Act, which would provide resources to help communities rehaul their zoning and land use regulations. She has also introduced the bipartisan Accelerating Home Building Act to streamline housing construction, the bicameral Choice Neighborhoods Initiative Act to permanently authorize and expand the Choice Neighborhoods Program, the bipartisan Veterans Housing Stability Act to help keep veterans and servicemembers in their homes, and the bipartisan Community Investment and Prosperity Act to unlock billions in capital for affordable housing. She additionally joined her Banking Committee colleagues to advance the ROAD to Housing Act, a landmark, bipartisan package which contained three bills she authored.
Finally, Sen. Kim introduced bipartisan legislation in July to address the shortage of housing across the country, and create more affordable paths to owning a home for more Americans. Together, the Unlocking Housing Supply Through Streamlined and Modernized Reviews Act and the BUILD Housing Act (Better Use of Intergovernmental & Local Development for Housing Act) would modernize the federal housing review process to responsibly increase housing production and boost overall supply, and lower cost. Sen. Kim’s bill aims to address the housing affordability crisis by making it faster and more efficient to rehabilitate existing buildings and start construction for new residential properties, as well as modernize regulations.
Click here for more on the Yes in God’s Back Yard (YIGBY) Act.
