Opposition to Housing

Whether new housing is government assisted or market rate, it can face opposition from established residents. Some observers contend that such opposition arises from “not in my backyard” (NIMBY) sentiments. The author uses research on controversies in the residential development approvals process in the San Francisco Bay Area to develop insights on whether this characterization is justified. He finds that people give many reasons for their opposition to new houses; some are related to their effects on people next door. Quantitative analysis suggests that projects generating NIMBY protests are distinct from projects that generate other kinds of protests, especially those against growth more generally.