What is Missing Middle Housing?

Housing That Looks Ahead

What is Missing Middle Housing? Simply put, its housing forms beyond single-family homes. As housing prices increase and development continues to focus on high-rise or urban sprawl options, the need for missing middle housing types continue to grow.

There are many types multi-unit housing, such as multiplexes, laneway suites, garden suites and garage conversions as well as types of cluster housing such as townhouses, garden courts and small apartment buildings.

Diagram showing different types of middle housing, including detached single-family houses, duplex, fourplex, courtyard building, cottage court, townhouse, multiplex medium, triplex stacked, live-work, and mid-rise buildings, with labels and arrow indicating progression of missing middle housing.

Outdoor patio of a restaurant with people sitting at picnic tables under large umbrellas, with a city street and tall buildings in the background.

Prior to World War II and the expansion of suburbia, cities developed organically and included these missing middle housing types. Not isolated spatially, but rather integrated together on streets, these missing middle housing types successfully created vibrant neighbourhoods.

Red brick residential building surrounded by green trees and bushes, with stairs leading up to the entrance, overcast sky in the background.

Part of the reason these types of cluster housing work is the way buildings relate to one another in terms of massing, materials and privacy. In addition, foliage softens the overall massing and creates a more serene streetscape.

A red and white streetcar with a sign that says 'NOT IN SERVICE' on the front, traveling along tram tracks on a city street with people and storefronts.

Single-family homes in our most popular neighbourhoods aren’t discounted if they are on a street with multi-unit housing. For example, in Rosedale, High Park or The Beach, all housing command top dollar, including all missing middle housing types.

A residential street lined with trees in fall, showing vibrant orange and red leaves. A brick house with a bay window and a small balcony is visible, surrounded by a white picket fence. Utility poles and streetlights are present along the sidewalk.

Toronto’s famed urbanist, Jane Jacobs, understood the value of vibrant neighbourhoods and the need for all missing middle housing types. Offering viable multi-unit housing options for singles, young families and retirees helps to create lifelong residents and a strong, connected community. The City of Toronto realizes this need and is committed to ensuring it is easier to bring missing middle housing types to market.

The Missing Middle ensures a vibrant city.

That is adaptable, inclusive and affordable for all.

Blogs

1. Garages Conversions - More value, more light and more curb appeal

An easy way to expand housing, provide multi-generational options or rental income is to consider garage conversions. When a laneway or garden suite isn’t possible, this is a great alternative.... see more

A garage conversion is much less expensive to build than an additional building from scratch, given the shell is already established. In terms of the environment, this strategy requires less materials and is small enough that electric heat can be considered, eliminating the carbon emitted when heating with natural gas.

To see how this idea is taking shape in California, take a look at this article in the Toronto Star.

For post-war suburbs, where garages dominate the front of the home, usually called snout houses, this concept brings back front windows and eyes on the street, when garage doors are replaced with windows for the new suite. By creating a facade for people rather than cars, it brings life to the front of the home, increases curb appeal and improves safety.

The standard two car garage is 18 x 20 or 360 square feet. For a single person or couple this space can easily provide a self contained one bedroom with tons of light, complete privacy and keeps the basement space for the homeowner or as a third unit, all while maintaining the main living space of the home. In addition, having a ground level suite is ideal for seniors, as they aren’t required to go down a flight of stairs to a basement unit. Even a single car garage could be converted into a work from home space and still provide a storage area entered from the side.

People will say they need the garages for car storage, but what is universally seen is that the vast majority of owners don’t park in their garage but rather use it as storage. That’s a very expensive storage shed, when you consider how using a better organized back yard or side yard shed can be built for a few thousand dollars and typically doesn’t need a permit if it’s under 100 square feet.

The options are limitless using the expensive square footage of a garage for other uses - housing for seniors, singles or young couples or a work from home space that is much quieter than a space inside the home, are just a few.

Financially, this concept opens up the opportunity for families to be able to afford the home when they can cost-effectively convert the garage into money-making living space, while improving the facade of their home and improving community engagement.

If you’re interested in learning more about how to convert your garage and cost-effective design ideas, we’d love to chat. Please reach us at info@middlehouse.ca.

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Homes that fit real life, real budgets, and real communities.
Our cities need options between single-family houses and flexible, family-friendly spaces that make neighbourhoods work for everyone.