LPA non-profit collaborator YIGBY (Yes in God’s Back Yard) was recently honored with a Ruby Award from the San Diego Housing Federation for its work developing innovative affordable housing.
LPA Director of Mixed Use Matthew Winter is an advisor on YIGBY’s Advisory Committee, providing expertise and guidance to support the non-profit’s mission to address San Diego’s housing crisis by activating abundant, under-utilized faith community properties for affordable multi-family residential projects. Winter has been working with YIGBY to develop affordable modular designs which will cut construction and permitting time, while meeting the group’s housing goals.
LPA is working on the first YIGBY project, designing housing units for veterans on land provided by the African Methodist Episcopal Bethel Mission Church in San Diego.
“It’s been a great experience working with YIGBY to jump start these efforts,” Winter says. “By creating affordable housing solutions on under-utilized faith properties, we’re creating a practical path to help alleviate the homeless crisis in the region.”
It’s been a great experience working with YIGBY to jump start these efforts
YIGBY received the Housing Federation’s Innovation Award for its new approach to addressing the housing crisis. By partnering with faith communities, YIGBY helps develop low-cost, quick-to-market affordable housing, using modular designs on surplus land. YIGBY’s team is led by a collaborative group of cross-sector professionals whose goal is to build 3,000 units on faith property in the San Diego region by 2025.
Many churches are exploring new ways to leverage their existing real estate assets to produce income.
“YIGBY is working to establish itself as a resource to churches to help them understand their affordable housing opportunities,” Winter says. “Our first model is to use private funding and modular construction which allows for a shorter project delivery timeline.”
LPA is working on several affordable and supportive housing projects throughout the region, focusing on innovative designs. For the recently opened Buena Park Navigation Center, LPA partnered with re-used shipping container specialist CRATE Modular to develop a 150-bed transitional facility.
