…The “Missing Middle”
House size in Utah has increased since World War II. Before then, home construction included many more townhomes, duplexes, fourplexes, and row homes. This more affordable “middle housing” culture provided ownership opportunities and the ability to generate personal wealth for more people.
The majority of Utah’s housing inventory consists of single family homes and apartment buildings, but not much is being constructed in this “middle” range. Homes in the “missing middle” are critical for those who work in the public sector and often earn too little to purchase a market-rate home, but too much to qualify for government assistance. This often includes teachers, health care workers, and public safety officers. The Utah Foundation issued a report specifically outlining how returning to the “middle housing” approach can be done in a way that complements neighborhood aesthetics. Increasing the state’s “missing middle” housing stock will require a multi-faceted approach. Current barriers include housing market forces, the types of products offered by housing developers, and local regulations…
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