Community Acceptance

Community members help shape how communities grow. Their input and acceptance of new development is important.

While most people recognize that everyone needs a safe, stable place to call home, new housing development often runs into community opposition — especially if the new development will be affordable to people who struggle to make ends meet. Opposition from community members can delay or outright stop the production of housing affordable to people of modest means — particularly if the housing will be home to people who have been experiencing homelessness.

Because community acceptance is so important, HCD, in association with the Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California (NPH) and Housing Advocates , has provided the following publications as resources for increasing community acceptance.

Websites and Publications

• Everyone’s Neighborhood: Addressing "Not in My Backyard" Opposition to Supportive Housing for People with Mental Health Disabilities (2014) (PDF)
• Advocates’ Guide to Housing and Community Development Policy  — National Low Income Housing Coalition (2012) (PDF)
• From NIMBY to YIMBY (2006) (PDF)
• Anti-NIMBY Tools — California Housing Law Project (2006) (PDF)
• Can I Be Your Neighbor?  — Affordable Housing Poster Campaign, City of Fort Collins, Colorado (2004)
• "Myths & Facts About Affordable and High-Density Housing" (2002)
• Examples of Materials and Outreach Strategies Used in Housing Education Campaigns (PDF)
• How to Organize Successful Affordable Housing Tours (PDF)
• How to Create a Cable TV Show About Affordable Housing (PDF)
• Education/Advocacy Campaigns on Affordable Housing in the Bay Area (PDF)
• Six Steps to Getting Local Government Approvals (PDF)
• Speakers Bureau Dos and Don'ts (PDF)
• What Works in Affordable Housing Education? (PDF)
• Parking Requirements Guide for Affordable Housing Developers — Southern California Association of Non-Profit Housing (2004) (PDF)
• Community Participation Strategies — Blueprint for Bay Area Housing: Housing Element Ideas and Solutions for a Sustainable and Affordable Future (2002) (PDF)
• Housing Advocacy Catalog — Campaign for Affordable Housing. (PDF)
• Documents and websites on Affordable Housing and the Relationship to Property Values (PDF)