Citizen Developers

Discover organizations from across Canada, and the rest of the world, who are contributing towards the gentle density movement and the delivery of homes that people want, need & deserve.

Name: The Terner Center for Housing Innovation

About: The mission of the Terner Center for Housing Innovation at the University of California at Berkeley is to formulate bold strategies to house families from all walks of life in vibrant, sustainable, and affordable homes and communities.

Established in 2015, the organisation has quickly become a leading voice in identifying, developing, and advancing innovative public and private sector solutions to the nation’s most intractable housing challenges.

Their work provides timely analysis and data-driven research to support policy and innovation for policymakers, practitioners, and advocates in addressing with urgency the multiple, layered crises of housing affordability, entrenched inequities, and climate change. The Terner Center aims to provide actionable, pragmatic paths that are based in evidence and can bring together a coalition to make change, including in the field of gentle density & missing middle housing.

For more information: Head to their website.

Discover organizations from across Canada, and the rest of the world, who are contributing towards the gentle density movement and the delivery of homes that people want, need & deserve.

Name: Smallworks

About: For the last 16 years, Smallworks has been the heart of laneway housing in North America and we have operated with a simple mission, to empower homeowners to create housing solutions that work for them.

The organisation strongly believe in this form of housing; infill housing provides gentle density, while preserving the neighbourhoods we’ve come to know and love.

Having built nearly 400 homes, they take pride in being able to use experience to accurately project both cost and timeline, ensuring that their homes are built on time, on budget, and with no surprises.

For more information: Head to their dedicated website.

When it comes to managing space, less isn’t always more.

“Kelowna has lots of lots with just one aging home and empty space that could be used differently – like a swimming pool, restaurant or stadium that is far under capacity, these large lots could accommodate more people than they do now.”

As part of its Infill Housing initiatives, the City of Kelowna produced a number of visual resources to capture how existing single family zonings were leading to significant inefficiencies that were undermining the wellbeing of the broader community.

These resources, available to view on their dedicated homepage to infill development, are a simple but effective example of public engagement materials that can help local planners in their efforts to win support for gentle density housing initiatives.

On this useful resource page courtesy of the University of Toronto, the School of Cities, and Toronto Metropolitan University, embark on a journey through the evolution of “Missing Little” housing, a concept stemming from Daniel Parolek’s “Missing Middle.”

Coined by Michael Piper, the “Missing Little” envisions inserting gentle density into existing single-family housing, addressing affordability and fostering walkable urban living.

Key insights:

Delve in & explore varied “Missing Little” housing categories throughout Toronto.
Gain insights from owners and tenants sharing experiences and challenges, illustrating how optimizing land use can potentially create 200,000 new affordable and gentle density units in Canada’s major cities by 2030.

The famous “Painted Ladies of San Francisco", otherwise known as “Postcard Row" or the “Seven Sisters", are a row of colorful Victorian houses located at 710–720 Steiner Street, across from Alamo Square.

Navigate the complex landscape of America’s housing crisis with insights from The Pew Charitable Trusts’ housing policy initiative.

As housing costs soar and millions struggle, Pew sheds light on how regulations and statutes contribute to the shortage and rising prices.

Key insights:

Discover how Pew’s research guides policymakers in reimagining housing approaches, creating pathways for more Americans to access affordable and secure housing solutions.
Pew analyses outdated financial regulations, focusing on expanding access to small mortgages and ensuring safer non-mortgage financing.
From videos, to fact sheets, to policy briefings, this is an excellent resource hub for anyone interested in learning more about policies to address the generational housing crisis we face.

Discover Portland’s vision for equitable growth in its neighborhoods.

Key insights:

By 2035, the city anticipates significant household growth, necessitating a reassessment of housing regulations. Facing a housing shortage amidst rising costs, the proposed changes aim to:

Diversify housing options by permitting duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes, while introducing size and scale limitations.
Promote community inclusivity and addresses evolving housing demands, emphasizing collaborative efforts for positive change.

Dive into the City of Portland’s housing project report to understand how these strategic changes align with the city’s dynamic future.

Download (PDF)

Explore the comprehensive “Missing Middle Housing Study” in Sacramento, a data-driven citywide effort addressing housing choices, walkable living, and attainable housing needs at all income levels.

Key insights:

The report puts suggested steps need to be taken to help deliver more attainable housing.

A critical step is to increase the delivery of housing at all income levels, but in a manner that is sustainable and feasible, and does not adversely impact existing infrastructure capacities (of roads, utilities, etc.) and the quality of life of existing residents.
A critical strategy is to streamline and encourage the production of smaller, simpler, less complicated and less expensive housing projects in areas that have existing infrastructure and amenities. Missing Middle Housing can fulfill this requirement, and provide an efficient way to meet this pent up demand.

This vital report informs Sacramento’s long-term planning and housing policies, prioritizing affordability, equity, and access while addressing displacement risks and proposing measures to preserve the unique character of established neighborhoods.

Further to the report, you can stay up to date with all of Sacramento’s Missing Middle Housing developments by checking out their dedicated website.

Based out of Melbourne, Future Homes offers a useful blueprint to consider in the delivery of pre-approved designs.

Facilitating the construction of enhanced gentle density dwellings, Future Homes was developed by the Department of Transport & Planning in Victoria and offers four distinct sets of site-less designs available for purchase, each boasting unique styles, layouts, and designs.

Key insights:

Pre-approved designs simplifies & streamlines the planning process for citizen developers and related actors
Pre-approved designs provide a versatile and customizable approach to apartment construction
Can play a central role in fostering better and more adaptable living spaces for diverse communities.

Image to the left shows Design Strategy Architecture with IncluDesign‘s “Future Homes Design A”.

Embracing the evolving needs of NSW’s growing population, the low-rise housing diversity code brings about a shift in housing choices. As households change and preferences diversify, this code facilitates the construction of well-designed dual occupancies, manor houses, and two-storey terraces through a streamlined approval process.

Following three years of extensive consultation, the code responds to the demand for homes that suit various lifestyles and budgets, contributing to the creation of vibrant, desirable communities. Explore firsthand accounts in our video series showcasing how gentle density homes have become the sought-after choice for families across diverse backgrounds.

These series of videos, developed by the New South Wales Government, highlight that gentle density homes are a form of homes that people want, need & deserve. The videos are an effective example of the power of videos in compelling storytelling, and ought to be a key component of any public engagement toolkit.

The Auckland Unitary Plan is a comprehensive and city-wide rulebook that guides how land can be used and developed in the Auckland region. It essentially sets the blueprint for the city’s growth and development over the coming years. The plan covers a wide range of topics, including where different types of buildings can be located, what activities can take place in specific areas, and the rules for preserving the environment and heritage. It’s a crucial document for city planning, ensuring that Auckland develops in a coordinated and sustainable way while considering the needs and interests of its residents.

In this video, Auckland Council explains some of the key changes to housing policy being brought about by the AUP, including the role that missing middle housing can play in:

Offering more diverse housing choices
Addressing gaps between single-family homes and high-rise apartments
Enhancing community character, affordability, and walkability.

Citizen Developers

Key insights:

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Key insights:

Key insights:

Are you a planner?

Do you have resources to share?

Key insights:

Are you a planner?

Do you have resources to share?

Are you a planner?

Do you have resources to share?

Are you a planner?

Do you have resources to share?