Douglas Austin is the CEO of architectural firm AVRP Studios in San Diego, California. AVRP Studios designs community buildings, affordable housing, educational buildings, and healthcare buildings, among others. As an architect, Douglas Austin is affiliated with many organizations, such as Yes In God’s Back Yard (YIGBY). YIGBY is an innovative affordable housing solution for The City of San Diego.
YIGBY comprises religious leaders and individuals in San Diego who address the housing crisis in San Diego and their communities. YIGBY helps convert surplus land into affordable housing.
Changes to the municipal code have been proposed to remove the requirement for permits for multifamily residential properties and arrange alternative parking. Churches and other religious institutions are now required to provide a specific number of parking spaces based on capacity. However, with this recent policy change, churches can now build affordable housing units in their parking lots usually not used during the week.
In December 2019, YIGBY scored its first major win. The San Diego Council passed a law to allow YIGBY to transform church parking lots into housing and streamline the approval process for senior living facilities. In June 2020, YIGBY partnered with San Diego’s oldest African-American church to build housing for seniors and veterans who are homeless.
