A specter is haunting the West: the specter of Yimbyism. Yimby stands for “Yes in my backyard,” the antithesis of Nimby, “Not in my backyard,” a movement opposing the construction of housing and other infrastructure. After thirty years of underproduction of housing in urban centers, the housing crisis has become such an explosive topic that it has (finally) invaded political agendas.
In the space of a few months, the most ambitious announcements regarding the increase in housing production have followed one another. The British Labour Party made housing one of its battle horses in the victorious legislative campaign last June, promising 1.5 million more homes.
