Helping Neighbors Make Room for Affordable Housing
The acronym NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) describes resistance by residents who oppose development in their communities. Their concerns may result from misinformation about a proposed project--in Habitat's case, a decent, affordable house a family will build, then purchase. Opponents also might harbor misconceptions regarding Habitat families themselves--often before the homeowners' identities are even known.
NIMBY opposition undoubtedly will emerge from time to time and from place to place. However, a corresponding reality can be forged through no less of a resolve: that caring, committed people, together, can find consensus through communication and creative compromise. The following stories help illustrate the point.
