Dropped off the little one to school, dropped off the election supplies, checked in with sad co-workers, friends and family, then drove to #rva to keep working towards a state #buildingcode that allows safer and more affordable #missingmiddle #housing .

It is helpful to read the details on what happened in #arlingtonva. I expected them to get dinged on #tree law, but the rest is a surprise to me. #housing #missingmiddle #shortage #virginia #zoning #landuse https://open.substack.com/pub/communityengagement/p/october-29-2024-another-12-unit-development

https://www.arlnow.com/2024/10/25/in-progress-missing-middle-developments-can-to-resume-judge-rules/ “You’re taking a huge risk, in my humble judgment, if you’re building a six-plex or a four-plex while the case is pending in the court of appeal” #risk #missingmiddle #housing #shortage #zoning #arlingtonva

https://archive.is/2024.10.23-205631/https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/sf-housing-staircases-19857913.php #sanfrancisco is studying #singlestair #missingmiddle #housing

Communal cooking done right is something most of us don't know we're missing.

I have friends and family who live in a 6-story #cohousing development. Around 50 people in 30 units. Each apartment is complete but the kitchens are slightly smaller than typical.

Cohousing is mutual ownership of the building. About 20% of the building is common areas, like widened hallways with couches and bookshelves, or a games nook, music room, workshop, laundry, etc. It's basically a tall village, and they are like roommates with privacy.

The giant kitchen and dining room is used six nights a week. One person is chef with a small crew, and dinner is for around 30 people. It costs $5 CDN per meal, though if you raid the leftovers later it's pay what you want, usually $2.

The cooking volunteer roster is optional and organized by a Slack channel. Out of 50 people there are those who like to spend their duty time showing off culinary skills. Dinner is usually awesome and everyone wins.

Very productive meeting today in Richmond on updating the #buildingcode to permit more affordable, more attractive, and safer #missingmiddle #housing . I especially appreciated our firefighters’ call to reach zero fire deaths and the recognition that sprinklered multifamily is part of the way forward.

I wasn't able to make the launch event, but this new #harvard report on adjusting #buildingcode to permit more flexible and affordable #missingmiddle #infill #housing common in other countries looks great https://www.bostonindicators.org/reports/report-detail-pages/single-stair #singlestair #boston

I was able to lecture at a graduate level landscape architecture course at #uva this week talking through the dimensional challenges of the new #cville zoning. As zoning has stepped out of the way of more diverse and affordable #missingmiddle housing, other rules that assume large lot single family detached wood frame homes are becoming critical. Local and state stormwater treatment regulations appear to be the largest challenge now to the new homes we were expecting.

https://www.arlnow.com/2024/10/01/missing-middle-developments-halt-after-court-decision/ “One of the arguments I’ve seen from the county is, ‘Well, hell, you can turn over anything on that argument,'” he said. “I mean, how much study is adequate? That’s kind of hard to predict ahead of time.”

https://reason.com/2024/10/01/americas-trial-courts-have-a-nimby-problem/ Some coverage here on efforts to permit much needed #missingmiddle #housing in #arlingtonva

The next meeting of the #virginia Single-staircase Advisory Group to the Board of Housing and Community Development
has been scheduled for October 15th, at 10 AM, in person only at the Virginia Housing Center 4224 Cox Road Glen Allen, VA 23260 https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewMeeting.cfm?MeetingID=40594 #buildingcode #singlestair #pointaccessblock #housing #shortage #inflation #urbanism #missingmiddle

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/09/27/missing-middle-ruling-lawsuit-housing-arlington/ “An Arlington County circuit court judge Friday struck down the county’s “missing middle” housing ordinance, saying officials in the Northern Virginia suburb did not adequately study the potential impacts of allowing townhouses and small apartments to areas that had been zoned exclusively for single-family homes.” #zoning #arlington #missingmiddle #housing #shortage #segregation #equity #inflation

Interesting note here from Dan Reed (miss you Dan) that we should have the judge's decision on the big #arlington #missingmiddle #zoning lawsuit tomorrow. So please prepare yourself emotionally for whatever joy or sadness may come. I will try and translate it for you when I see it https://ggwash.org/view/96751/do-something-the-week-of-september-23-2024#DC

Thanks to Sean Tubbs for covering efforts in #virginia to finally relegalize more affordable, safer, and more attractive #missingmiddle #singlestair #housing after a century of banning them. https://www.c-ville.com/one-exit

I had the good fortune to meet Kellie Brown last night, the new Director of Neighborhood Development Services for #cville . I am extremely grateful for her service and excited for what is to come here. #zoning #housing #preservation #design #safestreets #walkable #missingmiddle https://charlottesville.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1920