This tool is intended to help Bay Area jurisdictions understand the market potential for middle housing development. It can be used to test how changes in site requirements affect middle housing feasibility and support developing strategies that facilitate middle housing outcomes. This tool is funded by ABAG and developed by a consultant team.  

Specifically, this tool is intended to help jurisdictions understand:

• Likely pricing for new middle housing in their community.
• Site requirements for feasible middle housing development, including:  
  • What site sizes are needed for different types of middle housing under best-practice regulations.
  • Estimated maximum site acquisition cost for middle housing to be financially viable under best-practice regulations and with typical local fees.
  • How local regulations and fees affect feasibility for middle housing development.

The tool includes only a few examples of middle housing types, based on examples that have been built in the Bay Area and in other parts of the country where middle housing is allowed. These examples are informed by Opticos Design’s spectrum of missing middle housing. View the missing middle housing samples.

The consultant development team for the tool was led by ECONorthwest in partnership with Baird+Driskell Community Planning and Opticos Design.

Jurisdiction Access

Jurisdictions can login here to access the tool. To obtain the password, email Clair McDevitt at cmcdevitt@bayareametro.gov.