The Houses that Can't be Built in America - The Missing Middle

Summary

The video highlights the 'missing middle' housing problem in the US and Canada, where cities are dominated by either sprawling single-family homes or towering high-rise apartments, leaving few mid-sized housing options. This issue stems from post-1940s zoning laws favoring car-centric suburbanization, making it difficult to build walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods. The video contrasts this with European cities, which offer diverse housing types, and discusses recent zoning reforms in cities like Minneapolis, Vancouver, and Portland aiming to reintroduce more varied and livable housing options in North America.

Takeaways

• 🏙️ American and Canadian cities typically feature a stark contrast between sprawling suburbs and clusters of towering high-rise buildings.
• 🌆 European cities generally have a more gradual progression of building heights, with more options between single-family homes and high-rises.
• 🏠 In the US and much of Canada, the housing market offers only two main choices: single-family homes or apartments, with little in-between.
• 🚗 The 'missing middle' problem in North America refers to the lack of mid-sized housing options, largely due to car-centric suburbanization policies starting in the 1940s.
• 🛑 Strict zoning laws, especially Euclidean zoning, make it difficult or illegal to build anything other than single-family homes in most US and Canadian cities.
• 🧱 Developers often opt for condo towers due to zoning restrictions and the high cost of obtaining approval, maximizing the use of available residential land.
• 🏘️ Before the 1940s, neighborhoods often featured a mix of housing types, including detached homes, terraced houses, and small apartment buildings.
• 🚶‍♂️ European cities, like those in the Netherlands, offer more housing variety and walkable neighborhoods, allowing for a balance between single-family homes and mid-rise buildings.
• 🔧 Recent efforts in some North American cities, like Minneapolis and Vancouver, aim to address the 'missing middle' by abolishing single-family zoning and allowing for duplexes and triplexes.
• 🏙️ Despite these changes, other regulations such as setbacks, lot coverage rules, and parking requirements still hinder the development of diverse, livable housing options.

Q & A

What is the 'missing middle' in urban planning?

The 'missing middle' refers to the lack of housing options between single-family homes and high-rise apartments in most cities in the US and Canada. This includes types of housing like duplexes, triplexes, and small apartment buildings.

Why is there a stark contrast between American and European city skylines?

In the US and Canada, cities often have low-density single-family homes and then abruptly transition to high-rise towers, due to zoning laws that heavily favor single-family homes. In contrast, European cities tend to have a smoother progression of building heights, with more mid-rise options.

What led to the dominance of single-family homes in the US and Canada?

After the 1940s, cities in the US and Canada started promoting car-centric suburbanization, focusing on detached single-family homes due to strict zoning laws and policies like minimum parking requirements.

How does zoning restrict housing development in the US and Canada?

Zoning laws, particularly Euclidean zoning, often make it illegal to build anything other than single-family homes in many residential areas. This restricts the development of more diverse housing options.

What is the significance of San Jose's housing problem?

San Jose is an extreme example where 94% of the land zoned for residential buildings only permits single-family homes. This is problematic in an area like Silicon Valley, where there is a high demand for diverse housing options.

Why do developers often build high-rise condos in the US and Canada?

Due to zoning restrictions, fighting for approvals and overcoming opposition from local residents (NIMBYs) is expensive. To maximize profit, developers build large condo towers on scarce residential land to accommodate as many residents as possible.

What kind of housing used to be more common before the 1940s in North America?

Before the 1940s, it was common to see a mix of housing types on the same street, including single-family homes, terraced homes, small apartment buildings, and commercial spaces with apartments above them.

How does housing diversity in the Netherlands differ from North America?

In the Netherlands, it's common to see a mix of terraced homes, semi-detached homes, and small apartment buildings within the same neighborhood. This creates more housing choices and supports walkable urban environments, unlike the car-dependent suburbs of North America.

How have some cities in North America started addressing the 'missing middle' issue?

Cities like Minneapolis, Vancouver, and Portland have taken steps to address the 'missing middle' by changing zoning laws to allow duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, and cottage courts in previously single-family-only zones.

What challenges remain even with zoning changes in North America?

Although some cities have relaxed zoning laws, other regulations like setbacks, lot coverage rules, and minimum parking requirements still make it difficult to build diverse housing options like townhouses, courtyard buildings, and small apartment blocks.