The case for YIMBY amid Syracuse’s housing crisis
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A serious housing crisis has been brewing in the city of Syracuse for years, primarily impacting Syracuse’s lower-income families.
The typical market rate rent in Syracuse was $1,405 as of Jan. 2023, and the city has seen a staggering 23% increase in the median cost per square foot for apartments within just two years, jumping from $1.22 to $1.50. This uptick in rental prices has led to a situation where a quarter of residents are spending over 50% of their income on housing.
As the most competitive rental market in the country, Syracuse faces a dire shortage of affordable housing, a situation exacerbated by rising costs and a growing population. Amidst this crisis lies an opportunity for transformative change embodied by the flourishing “Yes In My Backyard” (YIMBY) movement.
The YIMBY movement originated in the San Francisco Bay Area, a region notorious for its exorbitant housing costs and stark imbalance between job growth and housing development. Despite their progressive and environmentalist roots, followers of the movement often challenge traditional liberal stances by aligning with developers and promoting market-rate housing. By advocating for increased housing construction, the movement is addressing the core issue of supply and demand head-on, pioneering efforts to transform urban landscapes into better places.
In the past, the YIMBY movement’s approach has sparked considerable controversy, often getting the “gentrifier” or “libertarian” label by critics. This characterization oversimplifies both the complexity of the movement’s approach and minimizes the exclusionary history of housing law in American history. YIMBY’s proactive approach includes legal actions against suburbs resisting development and lobbying for policy changes to facilitate urban densification and affordable housing creation.
This approach, which also extends to minority neighborhoods, reflects a pragmatic and reasonable strategy to ensure diverse communities have access to housing.
In general, the YIMBY movement advocates for a dramatic increase in the supply of housing, arguing that the lack of housing is what has led to exorbitant housing costs. A key issue that has made the supply of affordable housing significantly insufficient is the country-wide application of strict zoning laws that prohibit constructive dense, high-rise and mixed-income housing units. These laws were first enacted in the 1900s to enforce racial segregation by designating different areas for white residents than for residents of color.
A significant portion of residentially-zoned land in cities is dedicated exclusively to single-family homes, a practice that dates back to the mid-20th century. This type of zoning was often used as a tool to maintain the socio-economic and racial homogeneity of neighborhoods by preventing the construction of apartment buildings and other multi-family housing options that are generally more affordable and accessible to a diverse population.
Although explicitly racial zoning was ruled unconstitutional, zoning has continued to be used in ways that perpetuate segregation and inequality. YIMBY proponents argue that in order to reverse the housing crisis, upzoning, where a greater variety of housing types beyond single-family houses are permitted to be built in different areas, can provide a boost to developers and encourage the increase of housing supply.
In 2023, Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh proposed the creation of a housing trust, a new arm of government designed to tackle the city’s housing issues head-on. This initiative aims to boost the availability of quality, affordable housing through a mix of public authority, grants and loans. Drawing inspiration from successful models like Montgomery County, Maryland, the housing trust plans to balance market-rate and affordable units, ensuring a sustainable and inclusive approach to housing development.
Montgomery County created a government housing authority that constructs, owns and manages public housing – diverging from traditional low-income housing models. Some of these new initiatives include buildings with mixed-income units, offering market-rate rents alongside significantly reduced rates for low-income residents
The YIMBY movement is a countermovement that challenges the traditional “NIMBY” (Not In My Backyard) stance, which often opposes new development on the grounds of preserving neighborhood character or property values without considering the broader societal need for affordable housing.
Yet, YIMBY advocates for more inclusive neighborhoods by supporting housing developments that cater to various income levels. They challenge NIMBY tendencies to oppose affordable housing projects, arguing that such opposition contributes to socioeconomic segregation and inequality.
The housing trust initiative’s timing could not be more opportune. With Micron Technologies planning a massive semiconductor plant in the area, Syracuse anticipates a wave of well-paid workers seeking housing, further straining the city’s already competitive market. The housing trust’s ability to leverage public, private and traditional lending capital to construct, renovate and rehabilitate housing is a forward-thinking solution that addresses both immediate and long-term needs.
Cole Ross | Digital Design Editor
Further adopting a YIMBY approach in Syracuse could be a game-changer in addressing its housing crisis. A YIMBY stance, advocating for increased housing development, could alleviate pressures by boosting the housing supply, thus stabilizing or potentially reducing rental costs for those in need. For off-campus students, increasing the supply means more affordable living options close to their educational institutions, reducing commute times and enhancing their overall quality of life.
By supporting new developments and upzoning to allow for higher-density housing, as a city, Syracuse could foster a more vibrant, diverse and inclusive community.
Allen Huang is a second year Media Studies masters student. He can be reached at xhuang49@syr.edu.
