Resources to Overcome NIMBY Opposition

NMHC Advocacy Resources

• Free PowerPoint: Re-Thinking Density
  Visually compelling PowerPoint presentation that makes the case for higher-density development and rebuts common myths and fears associated with density. Collaborative effort by NMHC, the Sierra Club and the Urban Land Institute. (May 2005)

• Higher-Density Development: Myth and Fact
  New publication by ULI, NMHC and the Sierra Club that debunks eight widespread misconceptions about higher-density development. Perfect for combating opposition to new apartment development.

• Ad Campaign: Because Not Every Home is a House (Updated in 2008!)
  Six ads showcasing the different faces of apartment dwellers and questioning whether we are putting people at risk by encouraging homeownership at any cost. Available for local use. (March 2008)

NMHC Research

• White Paper: From NIMBY to Good Neighbor Updated May 2006
  Details tools that firms can employ in their NIMBY struggles and 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. (May 2006)

• White Paper: Overcoming Opposition to Multifamily Rental Housing
  White paper that examines the nature of local resistance to apartments, the reasons behind it and how it can be overcome. (January 2007)

Third-Party Resources

• Housing Illinois PR Campaign: We Need the People Who Need Affordable Housing
  TV, radio and print ads as well as brochures for use in promoting affordable housing.

• The Campaign for Affordable Housing
  TCHA is a national organization dedicated to educating Americans about the benefits of affordable housing. Web site offers advocacy materials, research, case studies and more.

• A Media Training Guide for Affordable Housing Advocates
  Published by The Campaign for Affordable Housing, this guide provides useful advice on how to work effectively with local media, including television, radio and print. Includes templates, examples and descriptions of press releases, press conferences housing tours, op-eds and letters to the editor. (June 2005)
  

• Presentation: The Truth About Affordable Housing
  PowerPoint presentation created by The Campaign for Affordable Housing for use with civic groups, planning meetings and other forums interested in affordable housing. (June 2005)

• Paycheck to Paycheck: Interactive Database of Wages and Housing Costs
  How many teachers can afford to live in your community? This Center for Housing Policy of the National Housing Conference database presents wage information for more than 60 occupations and home prices and rents for nearly 200 metropolitan areas.

• NLIHC: Out of Reach
  Annual report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition that calculates how much a hosuehold must earn to be able to afford a rental unit in areas around the country.