Executive summary

Build the middle

Throughout the United States, the housing deficit has created an affordability crisis. The underbuilding of new homes following the recession coupled with restrictive policies has led to historically low housing supply–and the high costs that come with it. To highlight the solutions that will address this crisis, Zillow and the Casita Coalition have assembled a playbook of strategies to “Build the Middle” by expanding affordable, middle-scale housing options.

Middle housing has long been a part of the American landscape. Duplexes, townhomes, bungalow courts, and other neighborhood-scale home types allowed families from all economic backgrounds to thrive in a community. But decades of exclusionary zoning and over 100 years of governmental focus on single detached houses have limited available housing options. By reimagining our neighborhoods, millions of new homes can be added to meaningfully address the housing supply shortage and the affordability challenges it creates.

Learn more about our Playbook of proven strategies below.