As the housing crisis weighs on nearly every community in the United States, the YIMBY movement — which emerged about 10 years ago as a fledgling counter-voice to the louder, better-established “Not In My Back Yard” movement — is coming into its own. 

Advocating for local housing solutions and removing barriers to building, disparate “Yes, In My Backyard” groups in cities from coast to coast have helped push through pro-housing initiatives in their own backyards. These battles are being fought in places like California, where the housing crisis is particularly severe, and in progressive cities like Minneapolis; Seattle; and Portland, Oregon.

The focus on local housing solutions is growing and could change the trajectory of development in the U.S., experts say. Read on for more about the YIMBY movement, its members and its mission.