The YIGBY Act Explained: How Faith-Based Land Could Ease the U.S. Housing Crisis

A new federal bill, the Yes in God’s Back Yard (YIGBY) Act, proposes to address the U.S. affordable housing shortage by empowering faith-based organizations and universities to build homes on their underutilized land. The legislation, introduced by U.S. Senator Mark Warner, aims to cut through restrictive zoning regulations and provide critical funding to create housing for low-income renters, veterans, and families at risk of homelessness. With a national shortage of nearly 4 million homes and a reported 18% rise in homelessness in 2024, this approach leverages trusted community institutions to generate new housing supply where it's needed most.

What is the YIGBY Act and How Would It Work?

The Yes in God’s Back Yard (YIGBY) Act is proposed federal legislation designed to facilitate the development of affordable housing—housing that costs less than 30% of a household's income—on land owned by religious and higher education institutions. The core mechanism involves providing federal grants and technical assistance to cover costs like feasibility studies, site planning, and construction. A key provision also allocates $50 million annually to incentivize local governments to update zoning codes that often block such projects. Based on our experience assessment, this combination of financial support and regulatory reform is crucial for overcoming the primary barriers these institutions face.

Why is Land Owned by Faith-Based Organizations So Valuable for Housing?

Faith-based organizations often own parcels in established, "high-opportunity" neighborhoods with access to quality transit, schools, and jobs. A 2023 report from UC Berkeley’s Terner Center for Housing Innovation found that over half of the developable land owned by these institutions in California is in such areas. In San Francisco, 98% of this land was located near high-quality transit. This positions these properties as ideal for affordable housing, preventing them from being developed solely for luxury markets and instead serving community needs.

What Are the Practical Challenges for Churches Building Housing?

Despite good intentions, most faith groups lack the development expertise, funding, and capacity to navigate complex real estate processes. Zoning regulations—local laws governing land use—often include lot size minimums or use limitations that prohibit multi-family housing on church properties. The YIGBY Act is designed to address this gap by providing the necessary resources, mirroring successful local models. For example, LEAP Housing in Boise, Idaho, helped a church transform a parking lot into two family homes with rents set 50% below market rate, demonstrating the model's potential.

Could the YIGBY Act Gain Bipartisan Support?

Senator Warner has stated that housing affordability is a non-partisan issue. The bill's framework offers appeal across ideological lines: it promotes community-led solutions favored by progressives and represents a cost-effective, non-bureaucratic approach for conservatives. By empowering existing institutions rather than creating new government agencies, the act has a foundation for broad support. Its success will depend on demonstrating the scalability of proven local concepts to a national level.

The potential of the YIGBY Act lies in its pragmatic approach to a systemic crisis. By providing the tools to faith-based organizations and universities, the legislation can unlock land in high-opportunity areas, reduce development barriers, and create genuinely affordable homes. For communities across the country, this could translate empty lots and underused buildings into vital housing, turning institutional compassion into tangible community assets.