noun
- the quality or practice of opposing the development or siting of something undesirable (such as a prison, landfill, or industrial facility) in one's own neighborhood while not objecting to it elsewhere
Usage: informal; derived from the acronym NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard)
Examples
- The city council's decision was criticized as pure nimbyness—they wanted the homeless shelter built anywhere but their district.
- Nimbyness has become a major obstacle to solving the affordable housing crisis in many urban areas.
- Environmental groups accused wealthy neighborhoods of nimbyness for blocking the renewable energy project.
- The proposal failed due to nimbyness among residents who feared property values would decline.
- Overcoming nimbyness requires educating communities about the broader social benefits of necessary infrastructure.