Multifamily Housing

Facade entrance of typical townhouse with cherry blossom in Seattle, Washington, America. Colorful red siding of two story attached townhouse duplex with blooming pink flower near windows with blinds

‘Missing Middle Housing’ Bill Passes in Washington Senate

The legislation would permit duplexes and, in some cases, fourplexes in residential areas in most Washington towns.

April 12, 2023 - Crosscut

Aerial view of Bellevue, Washington waterfront homes

Washington Could Legalize Multifamily Housing

A bill legalizing duplexes and fourplexes in most of the state’s residential neighborhoods passed the state House on Monday.

March 8, 2023 - The Seattle Times

Aerial view of MBTA commuter rail station in Concord, Massachusetts among green trees

Massachusetts Zoning Reform Law Reaches First Deadline

Cities and towns had until January 31 to submit their draft plans for rezoning areas near transit stations to comply with a new state law.

February 1, 2023 - Streetsblog Mass

Aerial view of homes with downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin in background

Report: Wisconsin Zoning Rules Hold Back Housing Production

Updating zoning regulations would help the state meet its housing goals and encourage the construction of a broader variety of housing types.

January 16, 2023 - Wisconsin Public Radio

Red and white For Rent sign in front of brick building with flowerpots in background

Renters Expected To Fare Better Next Year

After years of rising housing costs, renters will see some relief in 2023 as supply rises and more tenant households stay put.

December 25, 2022 - Globe St.

Row of brick townhomes in Chicago

Chicago’s ‘Teardown Tax’ Slowing the Loss of Two-Flats

A demolition fee designed to preserve affordable housing in older buildings has had some impact on the city’s housing supply.

December 15, 2022 - Bloomberg CityLab

Low aerial view of two-story suburban Houston homes

Houston Becoming a Region of Renters

The area has seen a sharp increase in renters as rising housing costs put homeownership out of reach for more households and investors convert single-family homes to multifamily rentals.

December 14, 2022 - Houston Chronicle

Side view of older woman sitting on gray sofa gazing pensively out of wall-sized window.

Aging and the Housing Market

When wanting to downsize their living situation, some older Americans are startled to find a dearth of smaller housing units in their neighborhoods.

November 29, 2022 - The New York Times

Duplex with twin two-story homes

Do Owner Occupancy Requirements Constrain Housing Supply?

Born out of a fear of absentee owners and rapacious investors, owner-occupancy requirements can have the contradictory effects of excluding renters from neighborhoods and limiting the number of rental units available.

November 1, 2022 - Brookings / The Avenue

Twin Cities

New Studies Shed Light on Relationship Between Zoning and Racial Integration

While zoning is just one of many factors impacting racial integration and economic mobility, it is an issue with some of the more straightforward solutions.

October 17, 2022 - Mercatus Center

Manhattan, New York City, New York

Breaking NYC’s Housing Speculation Cycle

When wealthy investors treat homes like poker chips, it is the tenants who end up losing. How do we interrupt the vicious cycle of speculation and displacement?

August 23, 2022 - Shelterforce Magazine

South San Jose houses

The Housing Crisis: No Longer Just a Coastal Concern

The pandemic accelerated existing trends and created unsustainable housing demand in a wider range of towns and cities, exacerbated by outdated zoning restrictions.

August 17, 2022 - The Atlantic

Yellow house on residential street in Atherton, California

Another Silicon Valley Enclave Resists Multifamily Housing

Ultrawealthy residents have blocked a proposal to build townhouse developments in one of California’s most affluent communities.

August 16, 2022 - The New York Times

Sunset view of downtown Gainesville, Florida

Gainesville Set To Approve Contentious Zoning Reforms

The city commission voted in favor of a controversial zoning reform package that critics from multiple sides say won’t create more affordable housing for those who need it most.

August 9, 2022 - WUFT

Aerial view of waterfront houses in Seattle, Washington

Seattle Works To Revise Comprehensive Plan

The city has developed five concepts for updating its comprehensive plan to increase density and reverse the legacy of exclusionary zoning.

August 7, 2022 - Crosscut

San Francisco Houses

California Density Law Didn’t Kill the Single-Family Neighborhood

After the passage of a contentious zoning reform law that encourages ‘light infill’ in single-family neighborhoods, few California households have submitted applications to build extra units, largely due to onerous restrictions imposed by local laws.

July 11, 2022 - San Francisco Chronicle

Eugene, Oregon

Eugene Approves ‘Missing Middle Housing’

The city council voted to approve an ordinance that will permit more middle housing types in single-family neighborhoods.

June 1, 2022 - KLCC

The top floors of a row of pre-fab apartments or condos are shown against a blue sky.

How an ‘Aversion to Change’ Worsens the Housing Crisis

A long-standing tradition of opposing multifamily housing construction continues to hamper housing production even as demand for affordable options grows.

June 1, 2022 - Smart Cities Dive

Residential duplex building

Support for ‘Missing Middle Housing’ Strongest Among Young People

A recent survey shows overwhelming support for denser housing options, with younger people and renters most likely to support ‘missing middle housing’ types.

April 15, 2022 - The Architect's Newspaper

Mount Rainier

Tacoma Density Plan Moves to Phase Two

The Home in Tacoma plan would amend the city's zoning code to include more 'missing middle' housing types and encourage infill development.

April 7, 2022 - The Urbanist

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