YIGBY

English

Etymology

Derived from YIMBY, itself coined as an antonym for nimby.

Phrase

YIGBY

1. Acronym of yes, in God's backyard, a movement to convert religious buildings and their land into housing units.
   • 2022 February 15, Erin Brigham, “Conclusion”, in Church as Field Hospital: Toward an Ecclesiology of Sanctuary, Liturgical Press, →ISBN, page 182:

     Under the umbrella of a reappropriated acronym, YIGBY or “Yes in God’s Backyard,” churches are partnering with nonprofit organizations as well as city officials to navigate the complicated zoning and financing options to transform their properties in ways that align with their mission.

   • 2024 January 9, Nadia Mian, “13: Changing the (Zoning) Code to Build Bonds Between Church and State”, in Mark Elsdon, editor, Gone for Good?: Negotiating the Coming Wave of Church Property Transition, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, →ISBN:

     The YIGBY model aimed to reduce costs by using land donated from the congregation, modular construction, social impact investing, and construction loans.

   • 2024 February 20, Rick Reinhard, “Affordable Housing: YIGBY (“Yes in God’s Backyard”) Movement Seeks to Counter NIMBY Movement”, in Urban Land Magazine‎, Urban Land Institute, retrieved 28 November 2025:
   • 2025 September 4, Mark Warner, “Warner, Colleagues Introduce New Legislation to Unlock Faith-Based and Higher-Ed Land for Affordable Rental Housing”, in Mark R. Warner, US Senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia‎, United States Congress, retrieved 28 November 2025:

     U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Andy Kim (D-NJ) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) today introduced the Yes in God’s Back Yard (YIGBY) Act, new legislation designed to help faith-based organizations and institutions of higher education unlock the promise of their existing land holdings by transforming underused property into much-needed affordable housing.

   • 2025 December 2, Donald L. Elliott, “Fixing the Rules—And the Rewards”, in An Even Better Way to Zone: Achieving More Affordable, Equitable, and Sustainable Communities, Island Press, →ISBN, page 68:

     Similarly, mild forms of YIGBY ordinances sometimes limit the maximum height or density of housing to that in the surrounding neighborhood, but stronger forms sometimes allow taller buildings, particularly if the resulting housing will be affordable.