The push for what supporters call “Yes in God’s backyard,” or YIGBY, is gathering steam in Connecticut as multiple churches look for ways to add affordable housing on land they already own. In testimony and interviews, religious leaders argued that state-backed timelines could make it easier for communities and congregations to transform underused property into housing that residents can afford.
Rev. Ellis Miller pointed to six acres behind Granby Congregational Church on Salmon Brook Street as land that, in his vision, could be developed into affordable housing for people in the community who need it. Miller said only 5% of Granby’s housing stock is considered affordable, while two senior affordable housing complexes have extensive wait lists. He said building on the church’s property, a short distance from downtown and near amenities such as a grocery store and restaurants, could help Granby meet the 10% threshold set out in 8-30g, one of the state’s affordable housing laws.
Miller testified March 4 to lawmakers that the legislation is needed to create what he described as a simpler process. In that argument, he said the state should not leave affordable housing progress to whether each church or town government maintains the right relationship. Miller said, “We have the land, we have the heart, we need a simple process,” and later warned, “It shouldn’t be dependent on the relationship of every nonprofit or church and their individual relationships with their town to solve it.”
The bill’s supporters characterize YIGBY as a way to remove procedural barriers that slow development, while still requiring compliance with local zoning rules. Under House Bill 5396, a project that meets local zoning regulations would qualify for “summary review,” a process supporters say would limit additional steps at the local level. The proposal sets a 90-day deadline for municipalities to decide on an application, and it requires that at least 30% of units in a qualifying development be affordable.
Connecticut’s housing shortage—especially the lack of affordable units—has been a key part of the case made for YIGBY. The legislation is being debated as homelessness remains a concern in the state, and advocates have argued that expanding affordable supply can reduce the flow of people into homelessness over time. Katie Jennings, campaign director for the CT Coalition to End Homelessness, told lawmakers that “increasing the supply of stable and affordable housing is one of the most evidence-based ways to reduce inflow into homelessness over time,” and she said many people experiencing homelessness in Connecticut are extremely low-income households priced out of the rental market.
Other religious leaders made related arguments at the bill’s public hearing. Mark Colville, who founded the Amistad House and Rosette Neighborhood Village in New Haven, said he supports the YIGBY bill and argued that shelters and zoning rules have too often left communities without the housing models needed for recovery. Liza Arulampalam, senior pastor at Center Church in Hartford, said her church serves as one of the city’s only cold-weather shelters and argued that the state has failed to invest in housing stability upstream; she quoted the need to address root causes rather than rely on emergency response.
The idea behind YIGBY has already been tested elsewhere. The concept gained national interest after San Diego amended its land development codes in 2019 to allow religious organizations to build affordable housing on their property. California later passed the Affordable Housing on Faith and Higher Education Lands Act in October 2023, and a YIGBY nonprofit based in San Diego partnered with Bethel AME Church on a project for low-income seniors and homeless veterans that began construction in 2024 and was completed in late 2025.
At the same time, opponents and some lawmakers raised questions about how fast-track review could affect local control and safety considerations. Connecticut’s Planning and Development Committee advanced House Bill 5396 by a vote of 13-8, and the measure is now awaiting consideration by the full House and Senate. Sen. Jeff Gordon, a ranking member of the committee, said he was not opposed to churches building affordable housing but raised concerns that summary review could create safety issues. He told lawmakers, “It is not uncertain at all, it is not endless,” and voted “no” on the bill.
Rep. Renee LaMark Muir also asked for clarification about whether the bill would set rules for how religious organizations would use any profit from housing developments. The AP story notes that in other states, YIGBY legislation has often addressed reinvestment into church social missions, but Connecticut’s current version does not address that question. Lawmakers also cited concerns about the bill’s constitutionality, focusing on the establishment clause of the First Amendment; Gordon said he saw a legitimate concern when one group receives preferential treatment, specifically religious groups.
Municipal groups argued that local governments need flexibility to address the specifics of infrastructure and public health. Brian O’Connor, director of public policy at the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, said his group opposes the bill because it appears to be an attempt to circumvent the local zoning process and because municipalities need to consider issues such as water and sewer infrastructure. Betsy Gara, executive director at the Connecticut Council of Small Towns, said towns are already working to comply with a comprehensive housing law passed the prior year and warned that a summary review process could prioritize some developments when others face different rules.
Supporters countered that church-led housing development can be intentional and manageable even without a longer procedural timeline. Cori Mackey, executive director of the Center for Leadership and Justice in Hartford, said the faith community’s mission includes changing the systems that create the need for such ministries, pointing to barriers that make affordable housing harder to build on congregations’ own land. Mackey and others also argued that religious organizations want to “get it right,” and Rev. Caitlin O’Brien, a senior organizer with CONECT, said churches may lack experience navigating complex zoning approvals and that the process can be “unpredictable and protracted.”
Beyond Granby, the AP story described examples of churches already exploring development plans. Westminster Presbyterian Church in West Hartford has explored developing affordable housing on an acre behind the church, and Rev. Julie Emery said the congregation assessed the property and looked at rental units to address budget shortfalls and housing needs. Emery said the development process could take six to eight years, and she described hope that the YIGBY legislation, if enacted, could fast-track the process if the church decides to build. She said, “I think that we are hopeful that this will make it possible for us to have a choice in what we do with our property.”