Building developers and religious leaders are partnering in an effort to solve two issues: the affordable housing crisis and the recent surge in the number of unused church properties, per Vox.
As religious participation drops and upkeep costs for buildings remain high, religious communities are looking to repurpose underutilized buildings and give back to their community. YIGBY, which stands for Yes in God’s Backyard, is helping out such communities.
What is behind the affordable housing crisis?
Zillow data from 2023 found that the gap between available homes and individuals in need of them in the United States is widening, per NBC 24. More than 8 million people, including families, were “missing households” — meaning they do not have their own home in which to live — and only 3.55 million units were available for them.
Building is happening too slowly to match America’s growing need.
“There’s not enough supply and too much demand,” said Jeff Ostrowski, a housing marking analyst, to NBC 24.
As a result, costs for available units are shooting up, as the Deseret News previously reported. Individuals and families in search of starter homes are hard-pressed to find something they can afford. Many are left wondering whether they will ever be able to own their own home.
Meanwhile, American churches are experiencing a decline in membership, as the Deseret News previously reported. “Dechurching” leaves property unused or bills unpaid, meaning religious communities are searching for ways to make money. That’s where developers can step in.
How churches are filling the housing gap
YIGBY is a building and contracting company based in San Diego, per Vox. Its title is a wordplay on the YIMBY (“Yes in My Backyard”) and NIMBY (”Not in My Backyard”) terms that often come up in the affordable housing debate. (The YIMBY crowd advocates in favor of expanding building and zoning laws and the NIMBY crowd advocates against that step.)
According to its official website, YIGBY works in partnership with religious organizations who are willing to donate or sell their property for discounted prices. YIGBY then uses the property to develop affordable housing options.
They plan to develop 3,000 housing units on faith-based property by 2025 and to do so in an environmentally and financially sustainable way, per Vox.
“I have very strong feelings that the faith community is responsible for vulnerable populations. That is absolutely true for every world religion,” said one of YIGBY’s co-founders, Monica Ball, per Faith and Leadership. She herself is a member of a local Presbyterian church.
YIGBY is not alone in its efforts, according to Vox. California passed the Affordable Housing on Faith Lands Act in 2023, easing zoning restrictions for development on faith properties.
Since the California law was passed, more states and cities have begun passing or planning to pass legislation and programs in support of YIGBY-like projects. Atlanta, San Antonio and Detroit are among the local governments that favor turning underused church property into housing, Vox noted.