Missing Middle Housing with David White

Journey With Purpose

Ever wonder why cities look the way they do—or why they all seem to revolve around cars? In this episode, David White shares the untold story of middle housing and the zoning policies that have shaped our cities for decades.

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Show notes & links

• David White and CivicWorks
• AARP Livable Communities, Discovering and Developing Missing Middle Housing, ADUs: Model State Act and Local Ordinance
• Missing middle housing (wikipedia)
• Listen: The City is For Children to Use

Episode Takeaways

1. Middle Housing Is Essential for Diversity:
   Middle housing—forms like duplexes, triplexes, and low-rise apartments—adds much-needed diversity to urban neighborhoods. It provides housing options that are more affordable and accessible, especially in areas dominated by single-family homes.
2. Zoning Laws Have Stifled Development:
   Post-1940s zoning laws, particularly those mandating parking minimums and limiting the types of housing that can be built, have prevented the development of middle housing. These policies have contributed to car-dependent, homogenous neighborhoods.
3. Parking Minimums Are a Major Barrier:
   Minimum parking requirements increase the cost of housing development and limit the number of homes that can be built on a parcel of land. Removing these requirements, as Calgary is planning to do, would allow for more efficient land use and cheaper housing options.
4. Walkability Is the Key to Vibrant Communities:
   David White emphasizes that people want to live in places with amenities, such as main streets, shops, and transit access, within walking distance. Walkable neighborhoods foster a sense of community and reduce reliance on cars.
5. Car Dependency Shapes Cities:
   Much of North American urban development revolves around cars, from parking minimums to street design. This car-centric planning leads to higher costs, fewer housing options, and less sustainable cities.
6. Housing Affordability Tied to Flexibility:
   Providing a wider range of housing options—middle housing especially—helps meet the needs of people at different stages of life and income levels. Flexible housing types contribute to more inclusive, affordable communities.
7. Density Brings Amenities:
   Increased density in neighborhoods can lead to more public investment in amenities like parks, libraries, and transit infrastructure. Density supports the creation of more complete and thriving communities.
8. Middle Housing Encourages Social Diversity:
   Middle housing allows a greater range of household types to live in the same neighborhoods—whether it’s families, singles, or seniors. This helps build more diverse, vibrant communities and prevents socio-economic segregation.
9. Policy Changes Take Time:
   While zoning reforms like eliminating parking minimums and allowing more middle housing are underway, the impact won’t be immediate. Development occurs gradually, and it’s important to set realistic expectations for how quickly these changes will reshape cities.
10. Cultural Shifts Are Needed for Real Change:
    There’s often public resistance to densifying neighborhoods due to fears about traffic, loss of privacy, or changing community character. David White argues that it’s critical to engage the public in conversations about the benefits of growth, diversity, and more flexible housing options to reduce anxiety about change.

Guest Bio

David is the Principal & Founder of CivicWorks. Under his leadership, the CivicWorks studio has established a reputation for design integrity and great city-building across a range of development typologies and scales of planning practice. His work is centered on leading multi-disciplinary teams through complex projects — negotiating community, political, and regulatory processes to achieve celebrated outcomes for a variety of land use and development scenarios.

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