YIGBY Housing’s Novel Operations Model

An architect in San Diego with decades of experience, Douglas Austin is the chairman and CEO of AVRP Studio. While engaging in his volunteering efforts, Douglas Austin applies his skills to create affordable housing in his community through his involvement with YIGBY Housing.

To address San Diego’s housing crisis, YIGBY Housing taps into an underutilized resource in the community, property owned by faith-based organizations, like places of worship. The organization builds affordable housing on land owned by these groups. YIGBY Housing units built on land owned by faith-based organizations are exempt from property taxes. As of 2021, it estimates that faith-based groups own over 4,600 acres of land, much of it already prepared to accommodate housing.

Not only does creating housing units in these locations fill an urgent need for the community, but it promotes sustainability practices because architects utilize environmentally-conscious methods during design and construction. Lastly, these properties help the congregations who partner with YIGBY Housing gain supplemental income they otherwise might not receive. By 2025, YIGBY Housing aims to create 3,000 housing units on faith property.