Senator Todd Young (R-IN) introduced on June 20 the “Yes In My Backyard (YIMBY) Act” (S. 1919), which aims to increase transparency and encourage affordable housing development in more communities by requiring Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) recipients to explain why they do not implement inclusive zoning practices that help increase housing opportunities for low- and middle-income residents.
The YIMBY Act would encourage the implementation of 20 anti-discriminatory land-use policies to facilitate the creation of new affordable housing in more communities. The list covers policies such as rezoning areas for high-density housing, encouraging mixed-use development and transit-oriented development, reducing minimum-lot-size requirements, allowing accessory dwellings, and reducing the number of historic buildings, among other provisions. The bill would require CDBG grantees to submit a report every five years stating: 1) if they have implemented anti-discriminatory land use policies 2) if they plan to implement the policies or 3) the reasons why they have not adopted the policies. These reports would have no impact on the amount of money grantees receive.
“Burdensome and discriminatory local zoning and land use policies drive up housing costs in communities across America,” said Senator Young in his press release. “These policies exacerbate the housing affordability crisis and stifle the ability of Americans to move to areas of opportunity. My legislation will require cities, towns, and rural areas across America to face this reality under a new level of transparency and encourage them to cut these harmful regulations.”
Read more about the bill at: http://tinyurl.com/y66qjblw