The YIMBYs Won Over the Democrats
"If downballot Democrats get on board with Harris and Obama, then elected officials in charge of housing policy in highly restrictive California, New York, and Massachusetts will face immense pressure to change course."
What It’s About
Jerusalem Demsas explores how the pro-housing "Yes In My Backyard" (YIMBY) movement has shifted Democratic Party politics toward recognizing housing supply as a critical issue. Prominent Democrats, including Kamala Harris and Barack Obama, have now openly advocated reducing restrictive housing regulations to improve affordability.
Upshot
Demsas sees:
- National politics is shifting faster than local: Democratic presidential candidates are now more YIMBY that local Democrats in the highest cost metros
- YIMBY empowerment: The endorsement of party leadership has strengthened the influence of local YIMBY activists
- Dangers ahead: Some YIMBY advocates worry about potential partisan polarization of the issue interfering with the potential for bipartisan support for deregulation
Did you know? Nearly 1 in 5 new homes built in California in 2022 was an accessory dwelling unit (ADU)—a dramatic turnaround after decades of local governments blocking their construction.
Why It Matters
The YIMBY movement is an important faction of the abundance coalition, but its rising profile in politics holds peril and promise. Housing scarcity is important to understanding America’s modern challenges, and a bipartisan effort to fix it could create massive change. But the rising salience of housing supply issues could lead to polarization and gridlock.
Who Wrote It
Jerusalem Demsas is a staff writer at The Atlantic, specializing in housing, urban policy, and political economy.