The Age: Look out Melbourne NIMBYs, the YIMBYs are here

They are young, educated, have good jobs – and they want to see more development, specially affordable housing, in their local neighbourhoods.

The Yes In My Back Yard movement – or YIMBYs – is gaining traction in Melbourne as a counterpoint to residents who oppose new developments in their local area.

Jonathan O’Brien, 27, started the housing activism group, Melbourne New Progressives, six months ago and wants to build grassroots support for a local YIMBY movement.

“The housing crisis is, behind the climate crisis, the biggest problem that we face as a society,” he says. “I think people are waking up to the fact that we’re going to need to do some pragmatic and complicated things in order to overcome it.”