Free publication: discovering and developing missing middle housing

Across the United States, there is a mismatch between the available housing stock and what the market wants and needs. The nation is mostly missing (and needs) a set of residential building

types that exist in the middle of the continuum from detached single-family houses to large apartment buildings.  So-called "Missing Middle Housing" is a critical part of the

solution.  FREE PUBLICATIONS THE INTRODUCTORY GUIDE: Order or download _Discovering and Developing Missing Middle Housing_ LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY GUIDES: Download _Re-Legalizing Middle

Housing: A Model Act and Guide to Statewide Legislation_ Download _Expanding Middle Housing Options: A Guide to Local Middle Housing Regulations_ Such midsized, often moderately priced homes

are referred to as missing because very few have been built in the U.S. since the early 1940s. The shortage is largely due to zoning constraints, the shift to car-centric patterns of

development, and the challenges of financing multiunit dwellings. That’s a problem, because the benefits of this largely missing housing type abound: * Missing Middle Housing types (also

referred to as Middle Housing) provide the size and affordability options that people of all ages —  including older adults — very much need but often can’t find. * Since thedwellings are

house-scale, the design and size of the buildings fit comfortably among detached single-family houses. * When a classic but too-large historic home is converted into a multiunit Missing

Middle-style residence, the housing type can help preserve existing houses as well as an area’s look and feel. * The housing type can enable family members to live with or near one another

while having their own space or residence. Created by AARP Livable Communities and Opticos Design, _Discovering and Developing Missing Middle Housing_ provides local leaders, building and

planning professionals, and involved community members with information about what Missing Middle Housing is, where it still exists, and why it’s time for communities nationwide to return

this versatile residence type to America’s housing portfolio. LEARN MORE YOU ARE READING AN AWARD-WINNING PUBLICATION! * 2023 Hermes Creative Awards: _Platinum_ * 2023 dotCOMM Awards: 

_Platinum_ * 2022 MarCom Awards_: Platinum_ _Page published September 2022, updated October 2023_