Yes in God's Backyard Act

Bill Summary: Yes in God's Backyard Act (HR 7152)

Session: 119th Congress

Jurisdiction: United States

Status: Introduced (Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services)

Overview

The Yes in God's Backyard Act aims to increase the supply of affordable rental housing by leveraging underutilized land owned by faith-based organizations and institutions of higher education. The bill seeks to remove policy and procedural barriers that prevent these entities from developing affordable housing on their properties and provides federal funding and technical expertise to facilitate these projects.

Key Provisions

1. Technical Assistance Program

The bill mandates the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to establish a program providing resources and guidance to faith-based organizations, colleges/universities, and local governments. This program focuses on:
* Development Guidance: How to convert excess property into affordable housing and preserve existing units.
* Target Populations: Prioritizing housing for those at or below 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI), individuals experiencing homelessness (including veterans), people with disabilities, and intergenerational families.
* Best Practices: Guidance on selecting development partners, managing land leases, and identifying "well-resourced areas of opportunity."
* Inter-Agency Coordination: The Secretary must consult with the Partnership Center and the Departments of Agriculture, Treasury, and Health and Human Services.

2. Challenge Grant Program

The bill establishes a competitive grant program for State and local governments, metropolitan planning organizations, and multi-jurisdiction entities.
* Eligibility: To receive a grant, applicants must demonstrate that they already have policies in place designed to remove barriers to affordable housing on faith-based or educational lands.
* Allowable Uses of Funds: Grants may be used to:
* Assess and remove local policy/procedural barriers.
* Conduct outreach to community partners and faith-based organizations.
* Provide direct grants or loans to specific affordable housing projects.
* Prioritization: Preference is given to projects serving extremely low-income families and special-needs populations.

Who is Affected?

• Faith-Based Organizations & Institutions of Higher Education: These entities gain access to federal technical assistance to utilize their land for community benefit.
• Local and State Governments: Eligible entities can receive federal funding to modernize zoning and development policies.
• Low-Income Residents: Specifically those at or below 100% AMI, the homeless, veterans, and individuals with disabilities who would benefit from increased housing inventory.

Funding and Timeline

The bill authorizes significant funding over a six-year period:

Note: Up to 10% of Challenge Grant funds may be used for administrative costs.

Summary of Impact

If passed, this legislation would incentivize a "bottom-up" approach to the housing crisis by unlocking private, non-profit land for public residential use. By combining technical "how-to" resources with financial incentives for local governments to change their zoning laws, the bill seeks to accelerate the production of affordable housing in areas that already have established infrastructure and resources.