EVIDENCE BASED PLANNING

PUTTING HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENTS AND

HEALTH DATA TO WORK FOR YOUR COMMUNITY

Brian Loughlin, Director of Planning and Urban Design at New York-based Magnusson Architecture and Planning, said data can help a city evaluate housing initiatives on the basis of affordability, accessibility and appropriateness. 

Accessibility means access to jobs and services via walking or transit. 

Appropriateness looks at the kind of housing needed. 

Often there is a gap in Missing Middle housing.

 

The Missing Middle includes: duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes, courtyard apartments, bungalow courts, townhouses, multiplexes, and live/work units.  

 

“The missing middle usually is more affordable than a single family home or high rise apartment.

People who are cost burdened can move into it. 

Once they can afford other housing, they can move on and that frees up more workforce housing,” he explained.