The Washington, D.C.-based National Multi Housing Council and the Alexandria, VA-based National Apartment Association have published an updated version of their free From NIMBY to Good Neighbors white paper. The document is designed to help apartment firms overcome "not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY)" opposition to rental housing. The 10-page paper identifies various advocacy tools that firms can employ to win approval for new communities. It also summarizes unbiased third-party research reports that refute many of the common myths associated with rental housing, focusing primarily on the notion that apartments cause nearby property values to decline.
“Community leaders and planning officials agree that we need to encourage more compact development, including apartments, to accommodate expected population growth and maintain our quality of life,” explains Doug Bibby, NMHC president. “Unfortunately, developers and community leaders eager to meet these housing needs are often thwarted by misguided NIMBY activists.”
“As our country’s population continues to grow, and as a wave of Echo Boomers approaches their prime renting years, the need for quality apartment housing is becoming critical,” adds Bibby. “To prevent NIMBY opposition from pushing vital workers farther and farther from where they work, we will continue our efforts to show that apartments add to the value of the community.”
“The good news is that there is an ever-increasing body of academic research that indicates that far from being a threat to local property values, apartments are a net plus to communities,” concludes Bibby. “We hope that From NIMBY to Good Neighbors will help housing providers spread that message and win support for smart growth-inspired developments.”
NMHC/NAA’s White Paper, which includes links to all of the original research summarized in the report, is available on NMHC’s website at (www.nmhc.org/content/Servecontent.cfm?contentItemID=2994) or NAA’s website at (www.naahq.org/govern_affairs/).
The National Multi Housing Council (NMHC) and the National Apartment Association (NAA) operate a Joint Legislative Program and represent the nation’s leading firms participating in the multifamily rental housing industry. NMHC/NAA’s combined memberships are engaged in all aspects of the development and operation of apartment communities, including ownership, construction, finance and management. Together, the organizations operate a federal legislative program and provide a unified voice for the private apartment industry. Nearly one-third of Americans rent their housing, and almost 15 percent of all U.S. households live in an apartment home. For more information, contact NMHC at (202) 974-2300, e-mail the council at ([email protected]), or visit NMHC’s website at (www.nmhc.org).
