The Massive Rise of Yimby Movement With Sonja Trauss

Oct 31, 2022

Sonja Trauss, co-founder of the YIMBY movement, talks about the history and future of the movement, including their wins in building more abundant and affordable housing. The podcast also covers the use of law to drive positive outcomes, the challenges cities face with housing, and the importance of addressing the housing crisis in the Bay Area.

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Introduction

00:00 • 2min

The Yimby Movement and Challenges with Housing

02:01 • 11min

The Costume Parade and the Desire for a Brigade

12:51 • 2min

Organizing a Costume Event and Reflecting on Personal Motivation

14:39 • 2min

Early Days of SF BARF and BART Fares

16:44 • 24min

Differences between Prop E and Prop D

40:53 • 7min

The Importance of Addressing the Housing Crisis

47:46 • 2min

In this episode, Sonja Trauss joins us to talk about the YIMBY movement and its overnight success. Sonja helps us understand the history and future of this movement. Frustrated by high rents in San Francisco, Sonja Trauss started taking part in local planning meetings in 2014 to stand up for more house construction and taller buildings. That led her to co-found the YIMBY movement (yes in my backyard) a political action committee, and YIMBY Law, a nonprofit Trauss runs to advocate for development projects in San Francisco that are affordable, inclusive and have multi-family units. What started as a small act of civic virtue has grown into a national movement. We dive deep into the YIMBY movement, all the way back from when it began till actual date, their massive wins around buildings and more abundant housing and the use of law to impel these wins. Dive in! You will learn about the YIMBY movement and how to fight for abundant housing that is affordable, inclusive and sustainable as well! SUPPORT US ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/rhyslindmark JOIN OUR DISCORD: https://discord.gg/PDAPkhNxrC Who is Sonja Trauss? Sonja is the Co-Founder of Yes In My Back Yard (YIMBY Action) and YIMBY Law, enforcing state housing law, making housing more affordable and accessible. Legal enforcement arm of YIMBY Action. Topics: Welcome Sonja Trauss to The Rhys Show!: (00:00:00) Goal for listeners: (00:02:43) Catalyzing moment that made Sonja push back against the state & start housing: (00:03:12) Where does Sonja’s fire to fight come from: (00:10:29) What YIMBY was like ten years ago: (00:16:14) Coming to the idea that we need abundant housing production and how did the word YIMBY appear: (00:21:00) About “burrowing the owl”: (00:26:04) Actual state of YIMBY movement : (00:27:31) Legal side of YIMBY movement: role judicial plays vs executive or legislative: (00:32:57) PROPE E vs. PROP E: how does Sonja respond to folks that are “more affordable housing people”: (00:40:42) Overrated & underrated questions: (00:45:38) Wrap-up: (00:47:42) Mentioned resources: How Burrowing Owls Lead to Vomiting Anarchists or S.F.'s Housing Crisis Explained Connect with Sonja Trauss: Twitter: https://twitter.com/sonjatrauss Twitter YIMBY Action: https://twitter.com/yimbyaction Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonja-trauss-02002968 IG: https://www.instagram.com/sonjatraussd6/?hl=en FB: https://www.facebook.com/sonjatrauss/ YIMBY web: https://www.yesinmybackyard.org/team