In the high-stakes world of real estate development, perception shapes reality—especially when NIMBYs dominate the narrative. Opponents leverage inflated social media optics, like Facebook pages with thousands of followers, to intimidate elected officials and sway the media.

When you look beyond the negative headlines, the marathon hearings, and relentless attacks in the public square, Not-In-My-Backyard controversies reveal something deeper than we ever imagined. It’s been hiding in plain sight, feeding countless community conflicts over real estate development for decades.

The NIMBY phenomenon is widely known but vaguely understood, resulting in local conflicts over real estate development in communities across the country.

The NIMBY phenomenon is widely known but vaguely understood, resulting in local conflicts over real estate development in communities across the country.