The Missing Middle has many housing types: the two-flat, the townhome, the granny flat, the coach home. Together, they support affordable, diverse, and compact communities.

 

Yet, this critical link in our region’s housing supply is disappearing in some communities -- and it’s not being developed in others. According to data from the DePaul Institute of Housing Studies, two-to-four flats make up 27 percent of Chicago’s housing stock. These buildings serve as the cornerstone of many Chicago blocks, but the city is losing these types at a rapid pace as they are converted to single family homes. Meanwhile, many suburban communities struggle to attract and maintain a diverse population, particularly young professionals and families. With a lack of options driving up the cost of housing, walkable communities are often out of reach.

 

That's why CNU is hosting Mind the (Housing) Gap: Filling the Missing Middle for Walkable and Affordable Neighborhoods.  On Friday, September 22, we are convening municipal planners, architects, engineers, developers, and advocates to explore how small-scale, locally-motivated, and incremental development can address equitable housing.  The one-day event will feature the following components:

 

• Education about the basic components of the Missing Middle housing and its role in supporting and preserving affordability in walkable communities;

 

• A keynote presentation by Jim Kumon of the Incremental Development Alliance that lays out the financial and civic groundwork for making small scale development succeed;

 

• A walking tour of Oak Park will use the Village as a “learning lab” to document how different housing types have helped protect its diversity and include more affordability;

 

• An afternoon panel of experts will dive deep into the design, development and policies necessary to encourage Missing Middle Housing across the region; and

 

• A lively pecha kucha to highlight local initiatives working to creatively fill our housing gap and strengthen the network of community-minded citizens that can make it happen.

 

 

Paid Event: Registration Required : Members ($40), Non-Members ($60), Students ($25) *Continental Breakfast & Lunch Provided