https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2023-08-11/single-stairways-california-build-more-homes-ab835 “Outlawing single-stairway buildings has made it impossible to build the kind of mid-rise apartment buildings once common in American cities and still the norm for new construction in Europe, Asia and Mexico. Think of walking into a building lobby to find an elevator and staircase circling up around it; it’s efficient and can be quite beautiful.” #design #housing #missingmiddle #architecture

Are there any North American companies offering factory-built standardized multi-family #PassiveHouse designs? Can you buy an off-the-shelf all-electric, low-energy fourplex and have it assembled on a lot in one of the states legalizing #MissingMiddle #housing across the board?

Sometimes I mention "my" garden, but really it's a #CommunityGarden I share with about 20 other people.

A few years ago, this small lot had an old house that was in very bad shape. It was sold and the buyer intended to build a new one as an investment rental. But for some reason the construction was delayed and it was left as an empty lot after the sale and demolition.

Some neighbors got together and approached the owner, asking if they could turn the lot into a community garden. They made fences and beds out of recycled material like pallets and decking. They planted fruit vines and trees for everyone to share. The local food bank agreed to pay the water bill.

10 or so years later, here we are! Every year we don't know if this will be the last one, the owner will finally need to start building. It could end at any minute.

I wish that cities would plot more gardens or that it was easier to establish them on private property. I love guerilla gardening but it's hard to grow vegetables that way in this climate (you have to water them in summer) and you miss out on the community part.

I think the ideal housing pattern is small apartment buildings (4-20 units, up to 3 floors tall) #missingmiddle with shared gardens. This maximizes the useful space and minimizes wasted space for everyone. You could do this retroactively by converting parking lots into gardens and allowing residential infill to densify neighborhoods. #urbanplanning #urbanism

In some cities the waitlist for community gardens is years long. That's an absolute travesty. How much more value do gardens give people and cities than endless expanse of lawn and pavement? #FoodNotLawns #gardening

@BrentToderian I would like to #missingmiddle too it's related when it comes to zoning problem.

#StrongTowns on why cities are killing themselves not allowing small-scale development. #Urbanism #Housing #MissingMiddle https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2023/6/21/whats-the-sweet-spot-for-building-housing-inexpensively

There appears to be a fledgling pro-YIMBY movement starting in Sydney: https://www.sydney.yimby.au/

They are hosting a launch night if you are interested: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/sydney-yimby-launch-tickets-652714856707

There is also https://www.yimbysydney.com/ run by @JessScully

#sydney #housing #auspol #density #missingmiddle #yimby #nimby

Researching other matters, I stumbled on this 2022 #missingmiddle analysis for #arlington showing that at that time most options were market viable where permitted by #zoning https://www.arlingtonva.us/files/sharedassets/public/housing/documents/missing-middle/mmhs_consultantanalysis_2022-04-28.pdf

I am looking forward to this talk on #staircase code reform to allow #missingmiddle #housing in #virginia again with "Stair Daddy" Mike Eliason and "Livable" Ed Mendoza (I don't think they're here yet?) https://housingforwardva.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9447ae207905c6921c01b9d39&id=7287587fc6&e=bf4f94a956

https://www.livablecommunitiesinitiative.com/blog-beautiful-cities/support-ab-835-a-single-stair-bill-to-make-housing-better-more-affordable-and-safer I’m happy to see that #california is considering building code improvements to allow more affordable #missingmiddle #housing

RT @tmccormick
@mnolangray perhaps #MissingMiddle is aiming too middle, too little increment, too much like existing housing; and for impact what's needed is to go big or go #MissingSmall ? c/@BuildSmallCltn https://twitter.com/andersem/status/1641554975062106112

Want more homes in WA? Decisions are coming down to the wire in the legislature.

BUT! lots of pushback from those who are most comfortably housed. Let your legislators know your support -- by 11:30 Friday 3/31.

#housing #futurewise #MissingMiddle

https://www.arlnow.com/2023/03/22/breaking-arlington-county-board-approves-missing-middle-zoning-changes/ “The Arlington County Board voted unanimously Wednesday evening to approve allowing smaller multifamily structures — also known as Missing Middle — in what were heretofore neighborhoods of only single-family detached homes.” #zoningreform #housing #virginia #missingmiddle

Story; Arlington ends single-family-only zoning

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/03/22/arlington-missing-middle-vote-zoning/

#MissingMiddle #arlingtonva #MoreNeighbors

#MissingMiddle zoning updates have passed in #arlingtonva !

RT @TheoForARL
This picture is a perfect representation of the current #housing situation in Arlington: a NIMBY w/ their yellow "NO" signs trying to reserve the entire space around them to keep others out. 1 person taking up an area meant for 6. #MissingMiddle

an economist has written a poem and is reading it out loud in favor of #MissingMiddle.

"Make our neighborhoods more inclusive, more fun...lets welcome all, have fun, have beer"

dude on a 12k sqft lot opposes #MissingMiddle He's in Glencarlyn, and apparently owns two homes?

#ArlingtonVA is picking back up with speaker 226 on the #MissingMiddle zoning amendment tonight.

@aka_quant_noir @rbreich Also allowing #MixedUse & the #MissingMiddle again.

#Urbanism

@samreciter @dalias @SecurityWriter Mind, I'm coming at the #Urbanism, #MixedUse & #MissingMiddle argument from a very #Canada-specific point of view, which is most closely related to the USA case.

So what might seem obvious on your end (and already applied widely) mostly just doesn't exist here.