A House bill introduced in 2020 to address discriminatory housing practices with reporting requirements tied to Community Development Block Grant funding has been brought back for consideration in both chambers of Congress.
The “Yes In My Backyard (YIMBY) Act” was re-introduced in the House by Rep. Trey Hollingsworth, R-Ind., and Rep. Derek Kilmer D-Wash. The measure was brought to the Senate by Senators Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, and Todd Young, R-Ind.
The YIMBY bill passed in the House in March 2020 but never made it to the Senate.
Under the bill, local governments applying for federal housing development funds would be required to report whether they have enacted policies to reduce counterproductive regulations that may affect affordability.
Language in the YIMBY bill calls for “allowing manufactured homes in areas zoned primarily for single-family residential homes.”
“Our nation had challenges with housing before this pandemic — and those challenges have only been exacerbated by it,” Rep. Kilmer said. “We need more workforce housing, more senior housing, more homeless housing, and more affordable housing. We need more housing units, period.
“That’s why I’m leading bipartisan legislation to help communities in our region and across the country reduce barriers to housing construction and build more affordable housing for the folks that need it the most,” he said.
The YIMBY measure is endorsed by nearly 200 organizations, including AARP, Up for Growth Action, the American Planning Association, Habitat for Humanity International, the Manufactured Housing Institute, the Mortgage Bankers Association, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, the National Apartment Association, the National Association of Home Builders, the National Low Income Housing Coalition, and dozens of state, regional and local groups.
“Across the country, there are countless examples of state and local zoning, planning, and development restrictions that either severely limit or outright prohibit the placement of a manufactured homes, a primary source of affordable housing,” Manufactured Housing Institute CEO Lesli Gooch said. “MHI is a strong supporter of the YIMBY Act, which gives HUD a constructive role in solving discriminatory land use policies and removes barriers that prevent the development of needed housing in communities throughout the United States – a top priority for MHI. The YIMBY Act is just one example of MHI’s strong ongoing advocacy efforts with Congress and the administration to help alleviate state and local impediments to manufactured housing.”
