Missing Middle Housing

Los Angeles Bungalow Court

On the Massive Carbon Savings of Gentle Density

A thought experiment compares the carbon impact of three new single family homes with the same block if it contained a duplex, a triplex, and a fourplex.

June 13, 2019 - Sightline Institute

UC Berkeley and North Berkeley

Berkeley to Study Missing Middle Housing Options for Single-Family Residential Neighborhoods

The city of Berkeley, famed for its radical left politics in the 1960s, is now considered a bastion of anti-development obstructionism. Those politics could be changing, however.

February 28, 2019 - The Bay City Beacon

Astoria Oregon

Local Governments Weigh-in on Oregon's Statewide Upzoning Proposal

Local planners and elected officials are expressing their opinions about Oregon's House Bill 2001, which would allow fourplexes on single-family residential units around the state.

February 14, 2019 - The Oregonian

Accessory Dwelling Unit

Op-Ed: Seattle Merely 'Inching Forward' on ADUs

They're a good start. But compared to similar policies in cities like Portland and Vancouver, Seattle's new policies around accessory dwelling units may be lackluster.

October 12, 2018 - The Urbanist

Texas Townhomes

California Bill Seeks to Facilitate 'Missing Middle' Housing

Affordable housing developers are increasingly asked to build middle-income units, but can't afford to do so.

April 10, 2018 - Mercury News

Texas Townhomes

'Missing Middle' Housing and the Expected Millennial Exodus

The Washington Post examines "missing middle" housing as a solution for retaining millennials in cities and interior suburbs. There is still some question, however, about whether millennials are actually leaving urban areas.

December 12, 2017 - The Washington Post

Portland

Portland to Consider New Residential Infill Regulations

The city of Portland's new residential infill ordinance would reduce the number of 1:1 demolitions—which often convert older, affordable homes into expensive McMansions.

October 11, 2017 - Portland for Everyone

Texas Townhomes

Missing Middle Housing: An Austin Case Study

The "missing middle" of housing is a concept familiar to many planners, but it's still probably unknown to most of the public. A story for Austin's NPR station could be an indication that the missing middle is entering the public consciousness.

May 26, 2017 - KUT

The 'Missing Middle' Affordable Housing Solution

Karen Parolek discusses the 'Missing Middle' that is too often overlooked in discussions about affordable housing.

January 13, 2017 - Modern Cities

Austin Traffic

Austin Chamber of Commerce Supports Form-Based Codes Among Traffic Fixes

The Austin Chamber of Commerce is connecting the dots between land use and transportation—and voicing its support for reform of the city's land use regulations.

October 14, 2016 - Austin Business Journal

Brownstones

The Neighborhood Veto and the 'Missing Middle'

Community resistance may explain why smaller apartment buildings are hard to build.

April 15, 2016 - Michael Lewyn

Filling in the 'Missing Middle': No New Wheels, Please

A new crop of developers are delivering fine-grained urbanism. Ben Brown checks into their boot camp and provides an update on the movement.

February 2, 2016 - PlaceShakers

Luxury Multi-Family Housing Boom Creates Scarcity in Other Markets

The Wall Street Journal examines one of the causes of the missing middle of the housing market—luxury multi-family developments pencil out while the supply of mid- and market-rate housing options dwindles.

August 18, 2015 - The Wall Street Journal

Charlotte Housing Development

'Missing Middle Housing' Website to Fill the Gap Between Supply and Demand

Opticos Design, Inc., the Berkeley-based urban planning and architecture firm has launched a new website dedicated to the missing middle of the housing market.

May 2, 2015 - Logos Opticos: Composing Vibrant Urban Places

Peak Sprawl Shrinks Home Sizes in Southern California

In contrast to much of the United States, where home sizes are growing again following the recession, developers in Southern California are increasingly building attached homes - reversing the region's history of single-family sprawl.

December 30, 2013 - The Wall Street Journal

Miami’s Missing Middle

Miami’s housing stock can be characterized generally to encompass single family homes and condos. Between these two options, however, other choices are lacking.

April 6, 2013 - Global Site Plans - The Grid

Can the "Missing Middle" Generate Cincinnati's Thriving Re-Urbanization

Dan Parolek kicks off a series on recent efforts to revitalize the Queen City based on a strong foundation of coveted resources, including a variety of urban housing types.

May 18, 2012 - Better! Cities & Towns

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.