YIGBY Solutions to the Housing Crisis

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I was delighted to hang out virtually yesterday with faith and nonprofit leaders in Pennsylvania who are eager to explore YIGBY (Yes in God's Backyard) solutions to the housing crisis. The Bucks-Mont Collaborative convened us, more than 80 folks.

I opened my remarks with a provocative proposition: The single greatest resource to solve the housing crisis is already here — hundreds of thousands of acres owned by faith communities. And then I followed with a question: How to unlock faith properties for the common good?

The greatest obstacle to building affordable housing on faith properties across the U.S. is not NIMBYism, nor lack of municipal support, nor lack of expertise; it's not even lack of money.

The greatest obstacle to building affordable housing on faith properties is congregations themselves.

Why? Because there is significant emotional attachment to the status quo. The resistance to change is profound.

But congregations can loosen their grip and open themselves to new possibilities. How?

By digging into their histories for clues to what's most important.

By listening to their communities.

By reimagining the nature of spiritual community with their neighbors of different faith traditions and no religious affiliation yet who share the desire for identity, purpose and belonging — and to do this reimagining in and through the reuse of faith properties, from short-term experiments to bigger plans that reframe what the properties are for and for whom.

A new story is out there for faith communities, as Tim Dooner, pastor of Valley Forge Presbyterian Church, put it. His congregation found a fresh narrative for life together in the vision to transform their education building into 20 affordable apartments.

The church has secured most of the necessary funding and is now waiting for the last piece. May it come soon.

And may more faith communities discover the joy of saying Yes in God's Backyard.

Daniel Pryfogle is cofounder and CEO of Sympara.