YIMBYs of NoVA

Missing Middle zoning reform was delivering more mid-sized homes throughout Arlington. It was on track to create more starter homes and more places to downsize within neighborhoods that had limited options. In short, the policy was delivering on its promises, until it was invalidated by a judge on September 27, 2024. Notably, none of the hyperbolic concerns of the policy’s critics seem to have been happening.

This is what we learned from an analysis released by the County staff based on the first year of permits for Expanded Housing Options (also known as Missing Middle or EHO). This covers 37 approved permits from July 1, 2023 (when the EHO policy went into effect) until June 30, 2024, for a total of 114 potential EHO units.

EHO homes were filling a crucial middle position in the housing market, currently unmet by single-family detached homes and high-rise multi-family buildings. The majority of EHO homes had three or four bedrooms, whereas the majority of single-detached homes permitted in the past year were 5 or 6 bedrooms. The average size of all EHO homes was 1,646 square feet, which is larger than the average apartment.

EHO homes were fitting within low-density neighborhoods. The permitted EHO buildings are nearly the same height as single-detached homes permitted in the last year. The lot coverage of the buildings are the same percentage. Developers are including more off-street parking than required, which would mean less competition for on-street parking.

The Missing Middle zoning reform proved in its first year to bring increased supply and diversity to Arlington’s housing stock. YIMBYs of NoVA urge the County Board to aggressively pursue its appeal of the ruling that halted this progress, while also exploring every available avenue to achieve these same ends. This includes eliminating parking minimums for residential development, streamlining zoning changes to facilitate housing on underused and obsolete sites, and increasing height and density allowances in all transit corridors.