Guest Editorial: Refocusing the YIMBY Movement
The YIMBY movement is one of the most important policy developments of the last decade. Nationwide – and especially here in the Bay Area – we have failed for decades to build enough housing, which has unnecessarily created scarcity and driven up the cost of living. It is imperative that we build more housing, and that we make it cheaper and easier to develop generally.
I was an early member SF YIMBY since way back in 2016, and I continue to support political leaders who prioritize YIMBY goals. However, I believe there is a deep-seated misconception within the San Francisco YIMBY agenda that needs to be named and addressed. Ironically, by focusing too single-mindedly on building as much housing as possible here in San Francisco where the YIMBY movement was born, we are failing to see the bigger picture, and we risk creating unnecessary political friction by unintentionally gaslighting San Francisco residents.
Breed: I have consistently said, it’s about housing. It all starts with people having a safe, affordable place to call home. I would wave the magic wand and there would be a hundred, two hundred thousand units all over San Francisco. Because when you try to attract and retain talent, you need good housing. When you’re trying to get people off the streets, you need good housing. When you want families to stay in San Francisco, you need housing. The buck stops with having as much housing as we possibly can, which is why I will continue to be relentless in my pursuit to get housing built all over San Francisco.
