Though many of the ideas espoused in the article may be good in principle, the author’s embracing of the YIMBY and NIMBY labels is not constructive. It’s important to keep in mind that the NIMBY name is a pejorative first created to attack those who oppose the so-called “pro-housing” movement. My personal experience trying to engage with these activists (who might be better categorized as YIYBY, or “Yes In Your Back Yard”) is that it’s much easier for them to label their opponents as obstructive than it is for them to understand the valid concerns many of us have about the negative aspects of neoliberal, market-based solutions to the housing problem.
Though many of the ideas espoused in the article may be good in principle, the author’s embracing of the YIMBY and NIMBY labels is not constructive. It’s important to keep in mind that the NIMBY name is a pejorative first created to attack those who oppose the so-called “pro-housing” movement. My personal experience trying to engage with these activists (who might be better categorized as YIYBY, or “Yes In Your Back Yard”) is that it’s much easier for them to label their opponents as obstructive than it is for them to understand the valid concerns many of us have about the negative aspects of neoliberal, market-based solutions to the housing problem.