Yes in God's Backyard Act
Summary
The "Yes in God's Backyard Act" aims to increase affordable rental housing by providing technical assistance and grants to faith-based organizations, institutions of higher education, and local governments. This bill amends the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act to include a new subtitle focused on removing barriers to affordable housing development. The Act defines key terms like "affordable rental housing," "at risk of homelessness," and "faith-based organization" to ensure targeted assistance.
Expected Effects
The Act would establish a technical assistance program to help these organizations develop affordable rental housing on their properties. It also creates a Challenge Grant program for states and local governments that have policies in place to remove barriers to affordable housing. The Act authorizes appropriations for both the technical assistance program and the Challenge Grant program through 2031.
Potential Benefits
- Increased supply of affordable rental housing, particularly for low-income families and those at risk of homelessness.
- Utilization of underused property owned by faith-based organizations and educational institutions.
- Encouragement for state and local governments to remove barriers to affordable housing development.
- Focus on housing in well-resourced areas of opportunity, potentially improving access to jobs and services.
- Support for housing for special needs populations, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.
Potential Disadvantages
- Potential for faith-based organizations to discriminate based on religion in housing, despite fair housing laws.
- Administrative costs associated with the technical assistance and grant programs could reduce the overall impact.
- Dependence on appropriations, which may not be consistently funded.
- Possible conflicts with local zoning regulations and community opposition to increased housing density.
- The definition of 'faith-based organization' is left to the Secretary, potentially leading to inconsistent application.
Most Disadvantaged Areas:
Constitutional Alignment
The Act's focus on providing affordable housing aligns with the Constitution's general welfare clause. However, the involvement of faith-based organizations raises concerns under the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, which prohibits government endorsement of religion. The Act attempts to mitigate this by defining 'faith-based organization' and including organizations assisted by the Partnership Center, but the potential for religious discrimination remains a concern.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).