Contested Housing: the great YIMBY vs NIMBY debate

The Henry Halloran Trust fosters academia in town planning, urban development and land management through grants and research support programs. At its 2023 Festival of Contested Urbanism, a debate between town planners, YIMBYs, and economists on the solution to the housing crisis raises the question of whether a simplistic solution like just increasing housing supply is the answer.

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In recent years a new movement known as ‘YIMBY’ (‘Yes In My Backyard’) has emerged. ‘YIMBIES’ argue that planning and regulatory barriers serving local ‘NIMBY’ (‘Not In My Backyard’ property owners) block new and higher density housing, causing affordability pressures across the market. By contrast, many so called ‘NIMBIES’ reject the proposition that ‘supply’ is the only solution to high cost housing. In this session, housing advocates and experts debate the proposition that supply side barriers are to blame for Australia’s housing crisis and recommend strategies to fix the housing system.

Find out more, listen to the debate.