Region 1 - YIGBY (Yes In God’s Backyard)
Informational Session
January 13, 2026 - 1:30pm – 4:00pm Central Time
Bay County Government Center
840 W. 11th Street, 3rd Floor, Room 3023
Panama City, FL 32401
The Florida Housing Coalition, in partnership with Enterprise Community Partners, invites houses of worship, nonprofit organizations, housing advocates, and local government housing and planning staff to attend this YIGBY (Yes In God’s Backyard) session for unlocking affordable housing opportunities on faith-owned land. This will provide practical guidance on how recent Florida state legislation enables affordable housing development on religious-owned land, and how communities can effectively move projects from concept to completion.
Participants will gain a clear understanding of new state legislation allowing housing development on land owned by religious institutions. Learn about the key eligibility requirements and how they interact with local government processes. Presenters will discuss the housing development process, from early visioning through construction, as well as predevelopment and development financing.
Communities in Region 1 include (but are not limited to): Bay County, Calhoun County, Escambia County, Holmes County, Jackson County, Okaloosa County, Panama City, Pensacola, Santa Rosa County, Walton County, Washington County, Franklin County, Gulf County, Gadsden County, Hamilton County, Jefferson County, Leon County, Liberty County, Madison County, Tallahassee, Taylor County, and Wakulla County.
This training is sponsored by Enterprise Community Partners
in partnership with the Florida Housing Coalition