NIMBY is an acronym that stands for "not in my backyard." It generally refers to someone who objects to socially forward projects or establishments in their own neighborhoods, based on some sort of aesthetic or moral ground.
NIMBY issues range from temporary shelters for the homeless to mosques at Ground Zero; from rehabilitation centers to low-cost housing projects.
Instead of NIMBY, why not say YIMBY? (Yes in my backyard) A YIMBY attitude is socially progressive, fair and strives for community betterment for all members.
The ONTARIO (Canada) Non-Profit Housing Association offers a NIMBY TOOLKIT (http://www.onpha.on.ca/AM/Template.cfm?Section=NIMBY#kit), which lists typical NIMBY arguments, and how to address each:
*"Our neighborhood already has its fair share of/too many..." (It's against the law to discriminate on kinds/too many...you can't say there are too many Greeks or Catholics, for example)
*"This shelter/housing/rehab center is too close to schools"...(People with handicaps are not dangerous, and studies support this)
*"My property value will go down" (Studies show that projects like social housing, for example, have no impact on property values.)
The NIMBY TOOLKIT highlights the difference between discrimination and legitimate opposition (concerns about height, density, parking, etc.). These are valid concerns. Opposition based on characteristics of people housed or served in a place, is discrimination.
