Missing Middle Housing

• Is Middle housing a new thing?

  No. This type of housing was common before World War II and was organically integrated with other housing types, including single-family homes. In fact, in a few isolated instances, Middle housing already exists in Kenmore neighborhoods (see photos below) but it would not be able to be built today under current rules. Ninety-five percent of Kenmore’s land zoned exclusively for residential uses in the city is zoned for single-family homes.

  Also, the typical footprint of a single-family home has increased from less than 1,000 square feet in 1950 to 2,500 in 2017 which adds to housing cost and further limits housing choice. Middle housing is an opportunity to provide housing choices that meet a broader range of housing needs for different groups of people in Kenmore and for those who would like to live in our neighborhoods but due to the limits of our current zoning have no acceptable housing choice.

  

  Kenmore Duplex                                                                                                                       Kenmore Duplex

• Will Middle housing negatively impact the character of my neighborhood?

  No. Middle housing consists of house-scale buildings that are compatible with single-family neighborhoods. In most neighborhoods that already include this type of housing, the units blend in and you have to look closely to notice a Middle home. Local examples include Ballard and the pre-WWII Lower Maywood Hill neighborhood near downtown Bothell. Any new regulations that allow for Middle housing will include standards that will limit the size, width, depth, and height, as well as regulate other design elements of this type of housing.

• Who lives in Middle housing?

  Middle housing can provide another entry point for people who want to live (or stay) in Kenmore but can’t afford to purchase (or stay in) and maintain a single-family home.  Middle-income wage earners such as schoolteachers, mechanics, grocery store managers, and first responders may find Middle housing types affordable.

  Middle housing can also be desirable to seniors who are downsizing, smaller households (only 34% of households in Kenmore contain individuals <18 years old), or young adults just getting started in the housing market. Service workers with lower incomes may also benefit from rental housing located in desirable neighborhoods. More than a quarter of Kenmore residents rent their housing unit.

• How does Middle housing combat systemic racism and help with diversity, equity and inclusion in our community?

  Single-family zoning is also known as “exclusionary zoning” and perpetuates systemic racism and classism. Single-family zoning initially was used to prevent those with lower incomes or black, indigenous or people of color from living in certain neighborhoods. Racist covenants were sometimes put in place, including in Kenmore.  Although the covenants are now outlawed, single-family zoning keeps most renters and low-income individuals (often people of color) out of a neighborhood.

  Allowing Middle housing in single-family neighborhoods provides an entry point for people who want to live in Kenmore--with its good schools and other amenities--but can’t afford to purchase a single-family home. Kenmore DEI information 

• Is Middle housing the same thing as affordable housing?

  Not necessarily. Middle housing refers to the size of the dwelling, not its cost. Middle housing (duplexes, triplexes, cottage housing) is typically less expensive than a traditional single-family home, but these may or may not fit strictly into the affordable housing definition. Architect Daniel Parolek coined the term “Missing Middle” housing.  His research has found that “Missing Middle” housing types are typically affordable for households with incomes at 60% of area median income or higher; as result, Parolek suggests that “attainable housing” may be a more appropriate term for describing “Missing Middle” housing. (Missing Middle Housing, by Daniel Parolek, page 53).

• How does Middle housing help with housing affordability?

  The answer to this question goes back to the laws of supply and demand. A large part of the existing housing affordability crisis is related to the fact that there are not enough housing units to satisfy demand, nor are there enough housing choices, especially in the gap between apartments and single-family homes. Because of this gap and overall lack of supply, housing prices have skyrocketed. Adding additional housing units and types of housing choices to the housing stock should help stabilize housing costs. And Middle housing is typically more affordable than single-family residences.

• What about parking?

  In the area the Planning Commission is considering for new Middle housing, State law mandates that no more than 0.75 parking stalls per unit or 1 space per bedroom may be required.  The Planning Commission is considering an ordinance that would require 0.75 parking stalls per unit.  For a duplex or triplex, this would mean a minimum of two off-street parking spaces. A developer could, of course, build more parking if there was a concern that future owners/residents would not have adequate places to park, particularly in areas of limited street parking.

  That said, parking requirements can be a barrier to adding more Middle housing, especially given that Middle housing residents are less likely to have a car than single-family owners[1].

  Less parking requirements for Middle housing should especially be considered in areas that are within a five- or ten-minute walk to bus lines.

  
  

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  [1] Source: American Housing Survey, 2017, cited on page 48 of Missing Middle Housing by Daniel Parolek, 2020.

• Will the tree canopy be protected?

  Yes. The City already has substantial tree preservation regulations in place and is considering even more, including increasing the tree replacement rate, further limiting tree cutting on existing residential lots, and mandating the preservation of “exceptional” larger trees.  The City’s tree rules would not change with allowing for new “Missing Middle” housing. Given the proposed limitations on “Missing Middle” building size, the new structures should have no more impact on the tree canopy than would a new single-family residence. As with any new development, existing trees may be removed, but strict and substantial replacement rules apply.

  Furthermore, from a bigger-picture environmental perspective, allowing for responsible tree cutting and replacement inside the King County urban growth boundary for the purpose of increasing urban housing supply prevents even more tree cutting that comes from suburban sprawl in the rural areas outside the urban growth boundary.

• Will my neighborhood change quickly or dramatically?

  No. Even with the potential changes, it is unlikely that rapid or dramatic changes in land use would be seen. Development of “Missing Middle” housing likely would be slow and incremental over many years.  The City of Kirkland has allowed “Missing Middle” housing in their community since 2018. Since those rules were put in place, interest has been growing slowly with permits for about a dozen “Missing Middle” housing units issued.  A study of Portland’s duplexes/triplexes by the Sightline Institute concluded that “on most urban lots, legalizing smallplexes would mean nothing at all for many years.” Regardless, it is important to establish opportunities for this type of development now before opportunities are lost.  The Planning Commission is aware that this is an incremental change to Kenmore and is recommending policies that would encourage the City to take additional supportive action in the future.

• Does Middle housing look like an apartment building?

  No. Middle housing does not look like an apartment building. By definition, these housing options are house-scale buildings that happen to have more than one unit. This definition “counters the belief that as you add more units to a building it needs to get bigger and that multi-unit buildings are always bigger than a single-family home.” (Parolek, page 11) As part of the Framing the Future of Housing proposal, the Planning Commission is considering a maximum size requirement for new duplexes and triplexes. The goal is to ensure that large structures, out of scale with existing neighborhoods, are not constructed. The Planning Commission also is considering design standards for duplexes and triplexes. See photos, below, of contemporary duplexes and triplexes.

   

  

  To view more images of “Missing Middle” housing, see:

  Sightline Institute: Missing Middle Homes Photo Library’s albums | Flickr

• What about infrastructure needs (e.g. sidewalks bus service, and parks) as the number of housing units increases?

  This truly is a chicken and egg question. Additional housing density provides both the additional taxes and impact fees necessary to support City-funded infrastructure as well as the physical infrastructure improvements required as part of a permit approval. To prevent new housing density because the infrastructure does not yet exist stops some infrastructure from eventual construction.

  In recent years Kenmore has added many new sidewalks and bicycle lanes, including the new sidewalks and bike lanes currently under construction on the City’s principle north-south arterial, 68^th Avenue/Juanita Drive.  More new sidewalks and bike lanes are planned in the coming years.

  Substantial improvements in transit service will be realized when Sound Transit’s “Stride” bus rapid transit comes online in 2026.

  As for parks, the City has expanded capacity at a number of parks in recent years, including Moorlands Park, City Hall Park, Northshore Summit Park, Rhododendron Park, Log Boom Park (currently under construction), Tl' awh-ah-dees Park (construction about to begin), and Twin Springs Park (construction anticipated in 2022).

• The City recently approved new regulations for accessory dwelling units. Isn’t that enough new housing?

  At the time the accessory dwelling unit regulations were put in place, about 50 units existed in the city. Over the past year, an additional 9 accessory dwelling units have been permitted under the new rules.  While this small amount of new housing contributes to the city’s housing stock and provides rental opportunities, more housing units and housing choices are needed.

• Is replacing an existing housing unit with multiple new housing units really the answer?

  This is a hard question. Existing housing is likely to be more affordable (for rent or purchase) than new housing. So, if an existing more affordable unit is replaced with additional more expensive units, there may be a temporary net loss in more affordable/attainable housing units. Still, “Missing Middle” housing is part of the answer to housing affordability concerns for the same reasons stated in question #7—the increased density will improve the housing supply, and the homes, being somewhat smaller, will tend to be more affordable than larger homes.

  Another benefit of “Missing Middle” housing like duplexes and triplexes is that a purchaser could buy a building, live in one unit and rent out the other one or two, helping cover the cost of the mortgage, and providing rental housing to those who cannot afford to purchase.

• Why is the region focused on providing Middle housing?

  The State Growth Management Act, multicounty planning policies (VISION 2050) – see https://www.psrc.org/vision - and King County countywide planning policies all support consideration of Middle housing in their plans and directives. Kenmore must, therefore, consider opportunities for Middle housing in the city.
  
  VISION 2050 states that the City should, “Expand housing capacity for moderate density housing to bridge the gap between single-family and more intensive multifamily development and provide opportunities for more affordable ownership and rental housing that allows more people to live in neighborhoods across the region.”