Pro-Housing Power Building: How to Grow Your YIMBY Club IRL

It’s vital to grow your list of pro-housing advocates. Why? Because the larger your list, the greater your power!

The good news is that a “list” is just a collection of people’s emails & phone numbers.

Data shows the vast majority of people who take action do so because they got an email or phone call from someone they trust. Social media posts alone don’t inspire action!

Here’s how to successfully build a YIMBY list in your area:

Step 1: Find your platform!

The most efficient way to vacuum up this info is to create a petition in Action Network. Your petition should be simple and have a clear goal, like supporting a local housing proposal or policy. And, yes, a good Action Network petition can easily add hundreds of new folks to your list!

Step 2: Find your advocates!

You’ll want to talk to people who are bored and open to chatting. Suggestions are:

• People attending a rally (Note: Make sure you’re not taking over the rally. If there’s an obvious leader, introduce yourself to them and let them know what you’re doing.)
• People waiting in line for brunch
• Moms watching their kids play soccer
• People waiting for a train

You can also do some good old-fashioned door-knocking! FYI, people in apartments are more likely to be YIMBYs than people in single-family homes.

Step 3: Talk to the people!

This is the scariest part, but it’s also the most fun (so don’t give up!). You’ll need an opening line. Here are some I’ve used:

• “Have you heard what they’re going to do with the old Fry’s?”
• “Want to see a racist map?”
• “Did you know that you get to vote on how tall buildings are in San Francisco?”

Try to pique their curiosity. Think about – if you were standing on the street, trying to get somewhere, what could someone say that would draw you into a conversation?

As you ask your opening question, hand them the petition or iPad! Hold it out like a gift. If they take it, they’re much more likely to sign your petition.

Practice a 5-second pitch for your petition, such as, “We’re trying to get apartments built downtown, right next to Safeway. What do you think? Would you support this?”

If they say yes, smile and explain that there is opposition to the proposal, and ask them to sign the petition. (A little FOMO never hurt anyone!)

If they have reservations, you can ask a couple of follow-up questions to suss out their concerns. You should be able to tell pretty quickly if they are moveable or not.

A closing note:

You should expect lots of rejection, especially in person. Only about 10% of people will sign, and some of those people will give you fake contact info. But the people who do sign are valuable. After a few of these efforts, you should see your list grow! And what does a bigger list mean? More power, more influence, and more pro-housing change. The more people you can turn out to take action on a housing proposal or policy, the more housing you’ll see in your city!