Younger YIMBYs should ease up on soft ageism about e.g. Boomers. I'm as guilty as anyone, and there's an element of truth. But I increasingly see older folks hurt by the crisis join YIMBY groups. (And become key allies.) I'd hate for this rhetoric to make them feel unwelcome.
It's okay to recognize that (say) public hearings are unrepresentative re: age, or that our housing policy disproportionately harms younger people. But centering Boomer hate in our rhetoric—especially if there's a YIMBY Boomer present, as is increasingly the case—isn't helpful.
@mnolangray This is a great point when talking w/ older NIMBYs about ADUs. One of their questions is “who will be moving into my neighborhood” tactfully the answer is “by allowing ADUs you & your neighbors will be able to gracefully age in place instead of moving into an aging care facility”
@mnolangray Well said. Lots of boomers are also struggling too if they didn't or couldn't buy. Same with us genxers. Recognizing that allies that vote at much higher levels is a smarter strategy than just a rampant firehose of nastiness.
@mnolangray Even if a homeowner bought long ago, and so is sitting pretty on housing personally, people have kids and grandkids who have unaffordable rents, and they see how prices are so high only few can buy. They see how the kids are locked out of the same opportunity they had.
@mnolangray They should be just as angry at their cohort as we are! It’s not even about individuals, it’s their generational culture .. it’s like systemic
@mnolangray Not a Boomer but I am Gen X. I am also trapped in the same housing issues. So are my aging family members who couldn’t afford to buy a house years ago or lost theirs in 2008.
@mnolangray I was sold a bill of goods as a boomer in graduate school 40 years ago that Comprehensive Plans can promote Yimbyism over the zoning code. It is in the real world when you see strong policies on increasing density get crushed by zoning that you realize that Plans are ignored.
@mnolangray True. Build barriers are unjust and hurt us all, and our words should reflect that truth.