Support Us Button Widget

See the results of your Missing Middle Housing Study input

After months of research and eliciting feedback from the public, the City of Asheville has released its draft recommendations.

AVLtoday_asheville_skyline_landscape

Downtown was one of the Missing Middle Housing-ready neighborhoods, but the study included example areas all over the city.

Photo by @mnierwienski

Table of Contents

Missing Middle Housing (MMH) has been in the local lexicon since the City of Asheville first put the Missing Middle Housing Study on its agenda back in 2022. Conducted by the Department of Planning and Urban Design and the Department of Community and Economic Development, the study is meant to identify housing barriers in the City’s regulations and policies and to make recommendations for improvement.

That’s put in pretty simple terms, but the process has involved six months of research, testing, and calls for public input. Remember the workshops or the renters’ survey back in the summer? Well, this is where they reach the first stage of fruition — with the release of the 155-page draft recommendations.

An illustration showing missing middle housing types between detached single family homes and mid-rises

A large number of housing types fall into this category.

Image via the City of Asheville

The basics

Before we dive into what the study is suggesting, let’s review the definition (after all, we haven’t discussed it since August).

Daniel Parolek, founder of Opticos Design, a consultancy firm that’s working with the City, coined the term Missing Middle Housing in 2010. It describes building types that are in the middle of a spectrum between detached single-family homes + mid- and high-rise apartment buildings — like duplexes, townhouses, and courtyard buildings. They’re typically three stories or less, with multiple units and in walkable neighborhoods. These types of houses do still exist, but they’re called “missing” because the housing models were abandoned and, in some cases, illegal for about 70 years due to zoning regulations.

The findings + recommendations

The study found that there are several MMH-ready areas in Asheville — defined as the areas surrounding walkable centers with access to schools, recreation, shopping, services, transit, food, and employment — like downtown and the area around the Haywood Road and Brevard Road intersection. But current regulations encourage single-family homes significantly more than MMH. Development standards like density maximum (the number of residential units allowed) and minimum lot width prevent many types of MMH, and the City’s parking space requirements prevent all types.

To address the barriers, there are 12 policy recommendations and 22 zoning recommendations. The policy recommendations include reinforcing walkable environments and ensuring that MMH development standards are easy + clear. Zoning recommendations include reducing parking space requirements and limiting the square footage of single-family homes to incentivize MMH. Nine implementation recommendations address ideas like supporting small-scale developers and creating cost incentives for developing MMH.

The study also acknowledges a risk of residents’ displacement with the implementation of MMH, so it includes anti-displacement strategies like streamlining the process for affordable housing approval and establishing home repair assistance + housing trust funds.

AVLtoday_missing_middle_housing_example

The study took into account displacement risks like housing costs and gentrification.

Photo via the City of Asheville

The next steps + chance for input

Okay, that’s a lot to digest — and we only covered a small part of it. But even though the study has a final draft, this isn’t the end of the road. On Monday, Dec. 11, the draft will be presented to the Planning and Economic Development Committee and then will be reviewed by the City Council on Tuesday, Jan. 9.

Although sometimes held virtually, meetings are open to the public, and there are several ways that you can offer your feedback. Pre-submitted voicemail and written comments are accepted until 5 p.m. the day before the meeting, and there will be time for live public comment (if the meeting is virtual, you’ll join the comment queue via a phone number on the Committee’s website).

You can also register for one of the two virtual information sessions on either Tuesday, Dec. 5 or Thursday, Dec. 14.

The study encourages continuing engagement with the community, so this very likely won’t be the last time you can give input. Subscribe to get updates on the study and make sure you stay in the know.

More from AVLtoday
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, the approaching holiday may be more difficult for many in our community — so here’s how to give back or find support.
Including gifts for neighbors, foodies, significant others, homebodies, students, and gifts under $20.
As the storm removed so many of the area’s trees, the annual Asheville GreenWorks event is undergoing a rebranding and an expansion.
Whether you’re looking for a spot to sit down on Turkey Day or cater a feast to eat at home, here are 20+ options to choose from.
After more than a month of work — here’s where we stand on repairing the local waterlines, treating the reservoir, and implementing a backup treatment plan.
Many local parks sustained significant damage during the storm, but restoration is forging ahead — Asheville Parks and Recreation gave us an update on where the city parks stand.
This article is being updated daily to include information shared at Buncombe County community briefings.
See how residents voted in this year’s general election, according to unofficial results.
Even as the community begins to get back on its feet, there are still plenty of resources for food, water, shelter, and more.
As deadlines approach and property owners continue to deal with storm damage, Buncombe County shared some resources for navigating property taxes in the wake of Hurricane Helene.