I get irked when I hear the word NIMBY, short for “Not in my backyard,” used to put community members on the defensive when they raise legitimate concerns about a nonprofit or commercial development proposed for their neighborhoods.
Invoking the acronym NIMBY can collapse opposition into a singular motive. Those who deploy it suggest that neighborhood advocates are selfish, concerned only about their property values.
Using the term NIMBY shifts the debate from considering a developmentʻs potential impact to instead questioning the legitimacy of people who oppose it…