New Bill Would Let Faith-Based Organizations and Colleges Develop Affordable Housing

Washington, D.C. — Rep.’s Nanette Barragán (CA-44) and Shontel Brown (OH-11) Jan. 22 announced the Yes in God’s Backyard Act, legislation designed to address the nation’s housing crisis by empowering faith-based institutions and institutions of higher-education to build affordable housing on underused land they already own.

The bill will unlock new housing opportunities in communities facing severe housing shortages and rising homelessness. Across the country, housing costs continue to climb while the number of available homes falls far short of demand. At the same time, faith-based institutions and institutions of higher education — often among the largest landholders in their communities — are frequently blocked from building affordable housing because of outdated zoning rules, lengthy permitting processes, and limited access to technical expertise.

“The Local Initiatives Support Corporation or LISC is grateful for Rep. Barragán’s leadership in introducing the Yes in God’s Backyard Act”, said Nicole Williams, Executive Director, LISC Los Angeles. “We’ve seen firsthand the increasing challenges families are facing with rising housing costs in our communities. At the same time, many faith-based organizations have expressed a desire to mitigate the housing crisis by developing affordable housing on their land. The Yes in God’s Backyard Act would provide flexible resources to support the development and preservation of affordable housing, ultimately increasing housing options in the communities we serve.”

In California, SB 4 allows qualifying faith institutions and higher education institutions to build 100% affordable housing by right. As a result, at least 80 congregations in Los Angeles alone are now exploring housing development on their property. Similar efforts are underway or being considered in New York, Massachusetts, Colorado, Minnesota, Virginia, Texas, Arizona, and New Jersey, signaling growing national momentum behind this approach.

The Yes in God’s Backyard Act would extend this progress nationwide by:

• Offering technical assistance to faith-based organizations and institutions of higher education seeking to use existing land to expand or preserve affordable rental housing;
• Providing technical support to local governments to share best practices and streamline the development of affordable housing on faith and university property; and
• Establishing challenge grants to reward communities that adopt policies removing barriers to affordable housing on these sites.

Details: Find the full text of the bill HERE.