Have you ever noticed that some neighbourhoods are made up of only one kind of house that would appeal to a very specific buyer? Have you ever been frustrated that there’s nowhere to shop in your neighbourhood within walking distance?
It’s a common problem in Canada, and one that we call “the missing middle.”
If single-detached family homes are at one end of a scale and mid/high-rises are on the other, then the housing forms in between are “the middle.” These are medium-density, low-rise, mixed-income communities with ready access to public transit — the kind of communities we need more of.
City Councils are responsible for approving all types of housing, and are therefore responsible for supporting a diversity of housing options.
- City councils can zone land for fee-simple row houses, where home owners are responsible for working together to maintain their shared housing needs
- City councils can rapidly densify their municipalities, allowing for denser forms of housing where single family homes exist.
- City councils set the maximum lot size and setbacks, therefore determining what can be built on a lot. Smaller lot sizes = more homes for the community