Unlocking the Potential of Missing Middle Housing
Published On December 7, 2022
From reforms at the state level in California and Oregon to local changes across the country, there has been significant progress in zoning reforms to enable the construction of more small-scale, missing middle homes often in what were formerly single-family-only neighborhoods. Despite these successes, however, regulatory, financing, and construction barriers still pose challenges to making missing middle housing, with its benefits for affordability and sustainability, a more widespread form of housing development.
Our new brief Unlocking the Potential of Missing Middle Housing examines the obstacles facing developers who specialize in missing middle housing ranging in size from ADUs and duplexes up to twelve-unit multifamily projects. Drawing on insights from roundtable conversations earlier this year, the brief explores the history and benefits of missing middle and makes recommendations for policy change to encourage more homebuilding with this housing type.
Cottage cluster proejct photo courtesy of Brian Foulkes.
Share This Post:
Related Articles
Pathways to Support Mixed-Status Immigrant Families Receiving Federal Housing Assistance
Note: HUD released a prepublication copy of the rule on February 19, 2026, and it is scheduled to be published…
California’s Building Code Appeals Process: A Quiet but Crucial Lever for Housing
California’s housing crisis has precipitated substantial zoning and land use reforms, as well as funding investments. However, one of the…
Steps Local Governments Can Take to Unlock More Housing: Lessons from San Diego
Author: William Fulton, Terner Center Fellow Co-authors: Sarah Karlinsky, Director of Research and Policy; Quinn Underriner, Senior Data Scientist Over…
Housing Opportunities: Governor’s Reorganization Plan to Create the California Housing and Homelessness Agency
Authors: Doug Shoemaker, Terner Center Affiliate Geeta Rao, Senior Director, Northern California Market, Enterprise Community Partners Co-authors: Sarah Karlinsky, Director…
