Searching for Solutions to SoCal’s Housing Crisis, YIMBYs Say ‘Yes’ to Development

A backlash against high rents and home prices in Los Angeles has produced a movement that is so open to new development that many call themselves YIMBYs — as in “Yes in My Backyard.”

Their mantra is “build everything” — be it subsidized affordable units or pricey condos. Local YIMBY leader Brent Gaisford, 27, of the group Abundant Housing L.A., is on a mission to show how adding homes for people of all incomes is good for the entire market.

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Despite their loss on Measure S, NIMBYs like Richard Close remain a powerful political force in L.A. that can kill or stall a project.  Abundant Housing leader Gaisford knows that to match their strength, YIMBYs need more allies pushing for denser buildings.

“I think there is a large majority who’s just not informed about the issues,” Gaisford said. “We’re trying to talk about this as much as we can.”