Yes In My Backyard (YIMBY)

Background and History
Yes In My Back Yard traces its roots to Bay Area volunteer activism and was incorporated as a charitable nonprofit organization in 2019. The organization describes its project YIMBY Law as “the legal arm of the pro-housing movement.” As of 2025, executive director Sonja Trauss, a prominent early organizer, led the affiliated legal project and the broader nonprofit team, which is headquartered in San Francisco. ^{2 1 3}

San Francisco Bay Area Renters Federation (SF BARF) was a volunteer housing activist group founded by YIMBY Law executive director Sonja Trauss in 2014 that later split into YIMBY Action and YIMBY Law in 2017. SF BARF was organized by Trauss, where she reported that most of its funding went towards paying for her salary. It advocated for eliminating housing regulations to allow for a massive increase in housing development to address housing shortages in San Francisco, leading to accusations that it was funded as a front for housing developers.  ^{4 5 6}

“YIMBY” is an acronym meaning “Yes in my backyard,” a slogan used by supporters of additional construction in contrast to “Not in my backyard” or NIMBY, a pejorative directed against those who are against lenient zoning for affordable housing construction. ⁶

Activities
Yes In My Back Yard reviews public records for local noncompliance with state housing mandates, notifies jurisdictions of alleged violations, and files lawsuits to compel approvals or policy corrections. The nonprofit also conducts trainings, publishes advocacy resources, and collaborates with the separate lobbying and advocacy network YIMBY Action to mobilize chapters and supporters for pro-housing campaigns. ^{1 7 8}

Through YIMBY Law, the group has pursued litigation against cities, including San Francisco, Sausalito, Redondo Beach, and Los Angeles, on issues ranging from rezoning to permitting. In 2025, YIMBY Law sued Los Angeles over alleged failures to complete rezoning commitments in its certified housing element and launched additional enforcement against Cupertino regarding SB 330 vesting claims. In August 2025, the group criticized a gubernatorial executive action limiting duplex/lot-split rebuilding in fire-affected areas, signaling potential emergency litigation. ^{7 8}

Funding
YIMBY reported $2.14 million in revenue and $2.03 million in expenses in 2023, with $2.29 million in year-end assets. Foundation support has included a $736,367 grant from the Silicon Valley Community Foundation in 2023 and a $180,000 grant from Good Ventures in 2024. ⁹

Leadership
Sonja Trauss is the founder and as of 2025 was the executive director of YIMBY and YIMBY Action. A former high school teacher, she also founded the California Renters Legal Advocacy and Education Fund and the Bay Area Renters’ Federation, which preceded YIMBY. ¹⁰