Free Publication: Discovering and Developing Missing Middle Housing

Download or order this free, 36-page, information- and photo-filled introductory guide. A PUBLICATION OF AARP LIVABLE COMMUNITIES AND OPTICOS DESIGN Facebook Twitter

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. 

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:

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.

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Page published September 2022, updated October 2023

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