Posted On: March 29, 2026, Posted By: Debbie Schatia, NewmarketToday, Original Article.
With York Region at a crossroads, Blue Door CEO invites community to have a conversation with her about how community values can shift to ‘yes in my backyard’ for supportive and affordable housing
How do we shift from “not in my backyard” to “yes in my backyard?”
This is a question I was asked by a communications partner, Wendy Kauffman, and it has stuck with me. Not because I necessarily have the answer, but because I believe it is an important conversation. If we can shift our feelings and beliefs, we could help so many people who need it.
Understanding NIMBYism
We all know the phrase “NIMBY.” For those of us who work with individuals experiencing homelessness, we hear it often, especially when opening new programs or approaching landlords about vacancies. “NIMBYism” is often rooted in a desire to protect the things we know and value about our neighbourhoods.
It comes from a fear that the safety of our neighbourhoods will be compromised if people who have experienced homelessness move in. There are concerns about break-ins, drug use, and potential violence. There are also worries about declining property values.
These fears are real for many people, but they are often based on misconceptions rather than facts.
Why this conversation matters
Today, York Region is changing, and many of our neighbours are struggling. The economy has taken a real turn, and more people are losing jobs or finding their salaries have not kept pace with inflation. As a result, many can no longer afford the average rent of $1,586 for a one-bedroom apartment in York Region, let alone the ever-increasing costs of food, utilities and everything else.
Imagine living on Ontario Works with a monthly income of $733, or on Ontario Disability Support Program benefits with $1,408 a month. Perhaps you are a senior who worked your entire life and saved for retirement, only to find the life you planned for has become unaffordable.
Or imagine earning minimum wage, taking home just over $2,600 a month, and having about $1,014 left for food, transportation and utilities. Now imagine that same income while supporting one or two children.
Maybe you are a young person struggling to find a job, and landlords are hesitant to rent to you.
There are also individuals who have lived for years with mental health and/or addiction challenges and who, without the right support, cannot maintain stable housing. It is nearly impossible to recover while living on the streets or in emergency housing, where conditions can further impact mental health.
These are the individuals emergency shelters serve every day. They are the people experiencing homelessness who urgently need safe, stable and affordable housing.
A clear and urgent picture
York Region’s 2024 point-in-time count shows something we cannot ignore. Homelessness in our region has more than doubled since 2021. If we do not shift from NIMBY to YIMBY, this trend will continue, and solutions will remain out of reach for those who need them most.
Yes in my backyard: Building a York Region where everyone belongs
A “yes in my backyard” mindset is not about blindly approving every development. It is about:
- Recognizing communities thrive when everyone has a safe place to live
- Understanding affordable and supportive housing is essential infrastructure, just like schools, hospitals and roads
- Choosing compassion and facts over myths
- Acknowledging our shared responsibility to keep York Region livable for people of all income levels
Housing is not a zero-sum game. When we make space, both literally and figuratively, for people to live safely, affordably and with dignity, we strengthen our entire community and reinforce the qualities we value most: connection, safety, belonging and opportunity.
What’s getting in the way?
One of the greatest obstacles to adding affordable and supportive housing is community opposition. While York Region does not track how many projects are turned down specifically due to NIMBYism, the Ontario Human Rights Commission notes neighbourhood opposition routinely delays or restricts supportive and affordable housing across the province.
Many concerns are based on misconceptions, such as the belief that supportive housing leads to increased crime or decreased property values. The York Support Services Network and York Regional Police confirm these perceptions are not supported by evidence.
Meanwhile, affordability continues to fall further out of reach. In 2022, less than one per cent of new ownership housing met the provincial benchmark for affordability, highlighting the urgent need for more diverse housing options.
An invitation to talk, dream, and problem-solve together
York Region is at a crossroads. We can continue with a pattern where too many people fall through the cracks, or we can choose to do something remarkable. Each year we postpone this conversation, the problem grows. Each year, more people experience homelessness.
I am calling on you — homeowners, renters, community leaders, local businesses, and neighbours — to ask: How can we shift from NIMBY to YIMBY? What could that look like? What would it take?
I want to hear from you.
Whether you have ideas, questions, concerns or hopes for how we can address housing and homelessness more constructively, I invite you to reach out through this link: forms.monday.com/forms/221b5c956c4e17fff6428496f667a7f3?r=use1.
Let’s have honest and meaningful conversations that move this work forward. Let’s listen to one another. Let’s imagine what “yes in my backyard” could look like when shaped by community values.
This moment invites us to shift from “not in my backyard” to “yes in my backyard.” Help us figure out how.