Missing Middle Housing

Missing middle housing is a term that has gained significant attention in recent years, particularly in urban planning and housing development circles. It refers to a range of multi-unit housing types that fall between single-family homes and large-scale multi-family apartment buildings. These housing types include duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, townhouses, courtyard apartments, small home communities, and other compact and diverse forms of housing.

The term "missing middle" is derived from the observation that many cities and suburbs lack this type of housing, resulting in a gap in the housing market between detached single-family homes and larger apartment buildings. The absence of these housing types has created significant challenges for many urban and suburban communities, including housing affordability, neighborhood diversity, and environmental sustainability.

In contrast to large apartment buildings, missing middle housing is typically characterized by smaller and more flexible units that are designed to be more affordable and accessible to a broader range of residents. These housing types are often more compatible with existing neighborhoods and can be designed to fit within a variety of contexts, from urban infill sites to suburban lots. They can also be designed to accommodate a range of household sizes and needs, from non-traditional families, to retirees, to those with mobility limitations, to students and young professionals.

One of the primary benefits of missing middle housing is its potential to increase housing affordability in cities and suburbs. By providing a greater diversity of housing options, missing middle housing can help to meet the needs of a wider range of residents, including those with lower incomes. In many cases, missing middle housing can be more affordable than larger apartment buildings or detached single-family homes, providing a crucial middle ground for households that may not be able to afford larger homes but also do not want to live in dense apartment buildings. Even in cases where missing middle housing falls in the market rate category of affordability, increasing the housing supply and infill utilization brings openings and opportunities for moderate- and low-income households by freeing up more affordable spaces.

In addition to its affordability benefits, missing middle housing can also promote environmental sustainability and help to reduce sprawl. By providing more compact and diverse housing options, missing middle housing can help to reduce the need for vehicles and promote more walkable and transit-oriented communities. It can also help to reduce the overall carbon footprint of a community by providing more efficient and sustainable housing options.

Some of the challenges surrounding implementing missing middle housing include land use, zoning regulations, and other development challenges, as well as initial capital demands, non-traditional loan requirements, and community awareness. Denton’s Affordable Housing Strategic Toolkit lays out several activities and strategies to work to mitigate these obstacles and incentivize innovative and affordable missing middle housing and infill.