NIMBY
Last updatedWhat to know
NIMBY is an acronym (“not in my backyard”) for an individual or outlook opposed to local development, often housing development but also other projects such as renewable energy, while generally supporting such measures in the abstract. The term NIMBYism (or Nimbyism) is also used to refer to the general mindset. Many sources have noted the relationship between NIMBYism and segregation. The term is often used in opposition with YIMBY (“yes in my backyard”), a term used for individuals who broadly support more local development. NIMBY and NIMBYism (or Nimbyism) may often be used in accusatory ways to suggest that objections to new developments are hypocritical, ignorant, or made in bad faith.
When discussing NIMBYism, it’s helpful to specify the policies in question and the influence racism and classism may have in objections to those policies.
Additional resources
- Nimby Nation: The High Cost To America Of Saying No To Everything (Forbes)
- It’s Time to Retire This Scapegoat for Segregation (Next City)
- The Racial Politics of NIMBY (Exponents)
- Trump’s Racism Won’t Win the Suburbs. But It May Diversify Them. (New York magazine)
- The Racial Contours of YIMBY/NIMBY Bay Area Gentrification (Berkeley Planning Journal)
Summary
NIMBY is an acronym (“not in my backyard”) for an individual known for opposition to local development, often housing development but also other projects such as renewable energy, while generally supporting such measures in the abstract. When discussing NIMBYism, it’s helpful to specify the policies in question and the influence racism and classism may have in objections to those policies.