In this episode of Infill, YIMBY Action Board member Sonja Trauss speaks with Zellnor Myrie, New York State Senator, and mayoral candidate, to discuss why New York housing policies matter far beyond city limits. They discuss how the NYC housing shortage impacts the national economy, what plans Myrie has to enact bold YIMBY policies across the state…

In this episode of Infill, YIMBY Law's Executive Director, Sonja Trauss, sits down with Sara Bronin—architect, attorney, professor, and author—for a deep dive into the rules that shape where and how we live. They discuss findings from the National Zoning Atlas, the power of local zoning codes, and how land use policy affects everything from housing…

In January 2025, wildfires in Los Angeles killed at least 29 people, destroyed thousands of homes, and displaced thousands more. After the fires, Angelenos and their elected officials began figuring out what came next. On this episode of the Infill Podcast, our California Organizing Director, Leora Tanjuatco Ross, speaks with Azeen Khanmalek, Execu…

Everyone knows that the cost of living, especially housing, has reached a high that feels unsustainable for most Americans to maintain. So, what can we do to solve this problem? In 2024, the Chamber of Progress released its Democratic Cost of Living Agenda. The Agenda is a low-cost policy framework with actionable recommendations for legislators to…

On this episode of the Infill podcast, our Executive Director Laura Foote speaks with Democratic Senator Brian Schatz of Hawai'i. They discuss why housing is a priority issue for Senator Schatz, how folks are thinking about the housing shortage at all levels of government and the unique opportunity that Democrats and Republicans have to work togeth…

On this episode of Infill, YIMBY Law's Executive Director Sonja Trauss speaks with Dr. Adam Ozimek, Chief Economist for the Economic Innovation Group about their idea to get the federal government more involved in housing policy. Pro-housing advocates understand that we need to incentivize local governments to remove barriers to building new homes.…

In this episode of the Infill Podcast, YIMBY Law's Executive Director Sonja Trauss speaks with author Max Podemski about his new book "A Paradise of Small Houses: The Evolution, Devolution, and Potential Rebirth of Urban Housing." In his book, Podemski discusses the history of housing in the United States and the factors that drove housing producti…

Americans are struggling to stay afloat due to high housing prices caused by our nation’s housing shortage. Fortunately, there is a growing number of voices advocating for pro-housing policy solutions. Up For Growth is a national, cross-sector member network committed to solving the housing shortage and affordability crisis. While many advocates fo…

On this episode of the Infill Podcast, YIMBY Action's Business Membership Manager, Courtney Porcella, speaks to Ivory Innovation's Hannah Gable about trends in pro-housing policy, what legislation is being passed in different regions of the country, and what advocates can do to replicate pro-housing wins in more communities. Ivory Innovations is a …

In 2020, U.S. census data analysis revealed that, for the first time, Native Hawai'ians living in the continental U.S. outnumbered those living in Hawaii. Redfin reports that the median home list price is currently $825,000. High cost of living and a lack of affordable homes have continued to be huge challenges for natives and transplants living in…

Virginia is short 105,000 homes while rents have gone up 13% in the last 5 years. Despite housing costs rising astronomically, local governments are largely not stepping up to help facilitate or build more homes. That’s why our local YIMBY chapters are taking matters into their own hands, and demanding action from State Officials. Tune in to this e…

Single stair reform is a powerful tool to make it easier and faster to build more homes. Cities like Seattle and New York are changing the way that they build multi-family housing to fill their neighborhoods with denser housing options. Now, advocates can help their own communities do the same. Single stair reform in housing advances more affordabl…

On this episode of Infill, YIMBY Law’s Executive Director Sonja Trauss speaks with Richard Kahlenberg, author of Excluded: How Snob Zoning, Nimbyism, and Class Bias Build the Walls We Don't See. The pair discuss how U.S. housing policy segregates our neighborhoods by creating barriers to allowing folks of all incomes to live in high-resource commun…

The United States' efforts to provide accessible and affordable homes for all individuals have fallen short. The Kelsey, a disability rights advocacy group, is pioneering disability-forward housing solutions that are accessible and inclusive. In this episode, Laura Foote, executive director of YIMBY Action sits down with Allie and Hunter from the K…

Affordable housing is absolutely essential, but there are so many obstacles that prevent it from being funded and built. In this episode, YIMBY Action Executive Director sits down with Congressman Maxwell Frost to talk about how he’s working to remove those obstacles at the federal level. Congressman Frost is the first Gen Z candidate to get electe…

Hear from YIMBY Action's Alex Melendrez and Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California's Abram Diaz as they discuss updates on California pro-housing legislation and their work in the fight for abundant, affordable housing. Learn more about YIMBY Action: https://yimbyaction.org/ Follow YIMBY Action on X (formerly known as Twitter): https…

One of our fastest-growing Chapters, YIMBYs of Northern Virginia, recently celebrated the legalization of "missing middle" housing in Arlington, Virginia. This means that multifamily buildings with up to six homes were legalized in neighborhoods that had previously only allowed single-family detached homes. In this episode, Jane Natoli, our SF Orga…

What if we could preserve the environment, increase housing affordability, and reduce car dependency all at once? That's exactly what Urban Environmentalists advocate for. In this episode, our Environmental Director Joanna Gubman sits down with Urban Environmentalist Leader Robert Spragg and Chicago Alderman Matt Martin. They discuss the importance…

Kylie Clark wrote an email to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to alert them about an anti-housing referendum in the town where she worked. The Town Council's reaction was extreme and illegal. Listen to Kylie's story as she sits down with our National Chapter Manager, Alex Melendrez. Links: Read about the censure…

In March, we assembled some of California state legislature’s most powerful pro-housing champions to discuss their latest legislative efforts to alleviate California’s housing shortage and affordability crisis. Hear from Assembly Housing Committee Chair Buffy Wicks, Senate Housing Committee Chair Scott Wiener, and Assembly Social Housing Select Com…

There are an estimated 2.4 million farmworkers in the United States. Farmworkers across the country are doing some of the most essential work in our society, but they are not given access to acceptable housing options. Challenges in supply, affordability, and safety are posing a huge threat to farmworkers. On Cesar Chavez Day YIMBY Action's Alex Me…

For 40 years, California has analyzed upcoming housing needs based on populations across its cities and required all local governments to submit plans to illustrate how they will contribute more housing in their areas to help the State meet its housing goals. This is called the California housing elements process. Despite the fact that submitting a…

In January 2023 California Assembly Member Alex Lee introduced Assembly Bill 309, a Social Housing Bill that aims to increase access to housing for all Californians. But how does social housing help solve the housing shortage? Our Executive Director, Laura Foote, recently spoke with Assembly Member Lee and Darrell Owens, Policy Analyst for Californ…

Last month, we voted for dozens of pro-housing candidates across the country. The YIMBY voting bloc continues to grow, and we’re seeing that growth in dozens of pro-housing wins this year. NIMBY voices are losing their influence. YIMBY Action Board Member Anthony Dedousis recently spoke with Councilmember-elect Jesse Zwick of Santa Monica, and Coun…

Many local governments in California exacerbate the housing shortage by ignoring state-mandated requirements for new housing projects— especially when it comes to affordable housing. The CA Builder's Remedy, a consequence of state housing law noncompliance, might be the key to getting more housing built anyway. In California, if a city does not pla…

The housing shortage has impacted communities across the country. But have you ever wondered how it has affected specific groups? Or how those most impacted by the housing shortage have responded to its consequences? YIMBY Action’s Organizing Manager Alex Melendrez spoke with Irving Torres and Noelia Corzo about how leaders in the Latinx community …

When a Los Angeles developer attempted to build a multi-family apartment building, the LA City Government illegally denied the project. That’s when YIMBY Law stepped in. In this episode, you’ll hear from YIMBY Law’s Executive Director Sonja Trauss, and YIMBY Law legal counsel Ryan Patterson about the details of the lawsuit and why it has implicatio…

Dozens of pro-housing laws were passed in California this year, but how will they impact the future of housing in the state? In this episode, our Policy Director Rafa Sonnenfeld sits down with Steve Wertheim to talk about the top pro-housing bills of the year and how they will help address the housing shortage that drives up prices in communities a…

Come meet our Orlando chapter! In this episode, our Volunteer Podcast Producer Ed sits down with Austin Valle who co-founded our chapter Orlando YIMBY. Austin talks about why he cares about housing and how Orlando YIMBY is fighting for abundant, affordable housing in Orlando. He shares what it was like to start a chapter, how his personal story dri…

Why must the good die young? This year, California Assemblymember Alex Lee introduced the California Social Housing Act (AB 2053). YIMBY Action sponsored the bill, organized in support of it, and worked with fellow supporting organizations to get it passed. The bill got through several hurdles but ultimately died in the legislature several months a…

Come meet the founders of our Dallas chapter! In this episode, our National Chapter Manager Jes sits down with DeDe and Adam who founded our chapter More Neighbors Dallas. The two of them share why they care about housing and how they're fighting for abundant, affordable housing in Dallas. They share what it was like to start a chapter, how their p…

The first draft of San Francisco's housing plan was released last week and guests Chris Elmendorf and David Broockman talk about what it means for the city as well as the state overall. Cities across California are creating housing plans (aka "housing elements") that will be in effect for the next eight years. YIMBYs have successfully advocated for…

In this episode, our volunteer podcast producer Ed talks with two of our leads from San Luis Obispo County, California! Hear from Krista and Kevin on what they've been working on and how they're advocating for housing in their community! They also talk about how SB 9 and SB 10 have impacted SLO County. Both bills passed in California last year, and…

YIMBYs in California advocate for laws to address the housing shortage and housing affordability crisis, but what happens after the Governor signs them? Housing law enforcement is an important but often less flashy part of the process of making housing abundant and affordable. Housing law enforcement is possible because of volunteers, organizations…

A new report from Circulate San Diego shows us what's possible with density bonus programs. Laura sits down with Colin Parent and Jesse O'Sullivan to talk about their Homerun for Homes report that outlines the outcomes from the program. Links: Check out the Homerun for Homes report: https://circulatesd.org/homerunforhomes Learn more about Colin Par…

California Governor Newsom released a revised version of the state's budget on May 13th, so what does it mean for housing? Laura Foote sits down with Michael Lane, the State Policy Director for SPUR Urbanist, to discuss the details. SPUR is a nonprofit public policy organization in the San Francisco Bay Area. They bring people together from across …

Electing pro-housing legislators is one of the most efficient ways to address the housing shortage. YIMBY Action and our chapters across California have worked hard to find the best pro-housing candidates running for the state legislature. And these two candidates have gone above and beyond to demonstrate their willingness to support housing. Hear …

San Francisco Supervisor Matt Haney won the special election for California Assembly District 17 on April 19! By using a strong pro-housing message, his campaign demonstrated just how compelling a pro-housing message is for voters. Pro-housing platforms hold a lot more power than they did just a few years ago. Housing moves voters. So many of us ha…

Last week, YIMBY Law announced three lawsuits against San Francisco and Los Angeles for not approving general plan compliant housing projects. Join YIMBY Action Executive Director Laura Foote and YIMBY Law Executive Director Sonja Trauss discuss the ins and outs of these lawsuits, some of the reasons cities give for not approving housing projects, …

The four candidates for San Francisco's Assembly District 17 go head to head on housing policy. We dug in with David Campos, Matt Haney, Bilal Mahmood, and Thea Selby on their perspectives on California's biggest problem: housing. This Special Election was triggered when Assemblymember David Chiu was appointed to become San Francisco's City Attorne…

What is San Francisco's Small Sites Program? What does it do? Who benefits from it? YIMBY Action Executive Director Laura Foote and Mission Housing Executive Director Sam Moss break it down and talk about the arguments in support of the program and against it. Learn more about the Small Sites Program: https://sfmohcd.org/small-sites-program Learn m…

All the talk in Congress about the Build Back Better Act and the federal infrastructure package is confusing. It seems to change so quickly, it's hard to keep up. What got passed? What got cut? What's next? Where should we focus our advocacy? YIMBY Action Executive Director Laura Foote talks with Joey Lindstrom, Field Director at the National Low I…

In this episode of the Housing Changemaker Series, Laura Foote is joined by Roderick Hall and Madeline Baron who are both Project Managers at ECONorthwest. They discuss Up For Growth research and policy, challenges urban planners face, and the importance of research and data analysis in housing. Roderick Hall is a project manager at ECONorthwest wi…

In this episode of the Housing Changemaker Series, Laura Foote is joined by Bryan Greene, Vice President, Policy Advocacy, National Association of REALTORS. They discuss fair housing policy, equity in homeownership, and Bryan's background at HUD and beyond. Bryan oversees all legislative and regulatory advocacy on behalf of the association's 1.4 mi…

In this episode of the Housing Changemaker Series, Laura Foote sits down with Nicole Macri, who represents the 43rd legislative district of Washington. She serves as vice-chair of the Healthcare and Wellness Committee and is a member of the Finance and Appropriations Committees. She is also a member of the Washington State Legislative LGBTQ Caucus.…

This special series on Infill is in partnership with Up For Growth, who is hosting a conference featuring amazing pro-housing voices from all over the country. We had the great opportunity to sit down with several of the speakers and give you a preview of what will be discussed in more detail during the online conference. Tickets are free, grab you…

Did you know San Diego recently claimed that housing would be placed on top of a cemetery?? California cities are going through a once-every-eight-year process where they have to create housing plans. The state determines how many homes they'll need based on population growth, job growth, and other factors. But lots of cities have been trying to ge…

This special series on Infill is in partnership with Up For Growth, who is hosting a conference featuring amazing pro-housing voices from all over the country. We had the great opportunity to sit down with several of the speakers and give you a preview of what will be discussed in more detail during the conference. The conference starts on Septembe…

This special series on Infill is in partnership with Up For Growth, who is hosting a conference featuring amazing pro-housing voices from all over the country. We had the great opportunity to sit down with several of the speakers and give you a preview of what will be discussed in more detail during the conference. The conference starts on Septembe…

This special series on Infill is in partnership with Up For Growth, who is hosting a conference featuring amazing pro-housing voices from all over the country. We had the great opportunity to sit down with several of the speakers and give you a preview of what will be discussed in more detail during the conference. The conference starts on Septembe…