TC YIMBY: The four leads of Twin Cities YIMBY each have a unique housing story that moved us to get involved in this volunteer work. As local Realtors®, every day we see the impact on clients, friends, and family when housing is unaffordable and unattainable. We are steeped in the history of today's crisis and understand the real estate industry’s role in creating fertile ground for rapidly growing issues. As a team, we feel a deep responsibility to dig in, create change, and be part of the solution. A year or two ago, we all joined the Housing Affordability Task Force created by the Saint Paul Area Association of Realtors® because they heard our community demanding solutions for affordability challenges. Although we are still part of it, we were ready to move further and faster. The fact that YIMBY is an organized, national movement allowed us to jump right in with like-minded people who are doing this work all over the country.
TC YIMBY: We are working to empower and amplify the Yes voices. Yes, to more housing. Yes, to more neighbors. Yes, in my backyard. We believe that growing a strong network of support for increased housing development of all kinds will create more affordable housing. The more we learn about barriers to development and affordability—like zoning laws, land use ordinances, and unnecessary mandates—the more we can educate our neighbors and friends. Also, the more people understand how seemingly mundane bureaucracies directly impact the cost of their homes, the more they’ll show up and make their voices heard. Professionally speaking, more houses mean we get to do more of the work we love—connecting people to homes. All of us have sincere gratitude for the homes we go to at night. "The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned."
Learn more about Twin Cities YIMBY.
To read this article in the May/June 2024 digital issue of The Minnesota Realtor® magazine, click here.