YIMBY (Yes In My Backyard) and NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) represent contrasting attitudes toward urban development. YIMBY advocatesthe construction of new housing (of a diverse variety), infrastructure and amenities in their communities to address housing shortages, promote affordability and foster economic growth. They argue that embracing change is essential for sustainable urban development and a more inclusive society.
Conversely, NIMBY opponents resist new developments in their neighborhoods due to concerns about potential negative impacts, such as increased traffic, changes to the character of the area and rising property taxes. NIMBYism often reflects a desire to maintain the status quo and protect existing property values.
A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of meeting with the "Bend YIMBY" group, a local chapter of a nationwide group. As I described above, their position is support of all types of residential construction, from single-family residences, apartment buildings and everything in between, from duplexes to cottage clusters to townhomes, often referred to as "middle housing." As it turns out, they were hosting a gingerbread house contest that involved making "middle housing" gingerbread houses. The entries were amazing, and the company was better. I found the group to be both extremely welcoming and having a wealth of knowledge. I look forward to engaging and learning more in future meetups and would highly recommend those concerned with Bend's housing crisis to join or at least meet this fantastic collection of local folks. Please feel free to check out Bendyimby.com for additional resources.
The YIMBY vs NIMBY debate encapsulates the broader struggle between progress and preservation in urban planning. Finding a balance between supporting growth and respecting community concerns is crucial for fostering healthy and sustainable cities. Policymakers face the challenge of navigating these competing interests to create urban environments that are both dynamic and livable.
To be as unbiased as possible, I did attempt to learn more about NIMBYs. However, there is not a national or local NIMBY group. The key issue here is that unless someone is trying to develop something that is considered "unsightly" or "bad for the neighborhood," few oppose these types of developments. Again, to be fair, overall I really like the state of Oregon's land use laws that were enacted in the 1970s, which aim to manage growth, protect natural resources and create sustainable communities. So I cannot say that I am completely laissez faire when it comes to this topic; I much prefer how Oregon has been built since the 1970s when compared to say, Texas, which does not have the same type of land use laws. However, they also do not have nearly the same type of protected natural/green spaces, nor do they have the same type of housing shortage.
The YIMBY vs NIMBY debate is not as simple in my eyes as a good vs bad debate, nor is it simple. However I do trust that our local leadership can find a balance and build the type of Bend we want to see in the future, because the Bend of 50 years ago is gone, just like Bend of 10 years ago, just like Bend 1 year ago. We can only influence the Bend of tomorrow with our actions today.
