Columbia’s always been a place people want to live. But according to the Baltimore Banner, it’s getting harder to actually afford it. With median home prices pushing past $600K and even rent tied for the most expensive in Maryland, it’s clear we need more than single-family homes and luxury apartments. We need options in between—the missing middle.
Missing middle housing is everything between single-family homes and large apartment buildings—think duplexes, triplexes, townhomes, cottage courts, and small multiplexes. These homes blend into neighborhoods, add gentle density, and give people more options at more price points. But in most communities, zoning laws make it hard—sometimes illegal—to build them. Many areas are locked into single-family zoning, with minimum lot sizes, height restrictions, and parking mandates that block smaller, more affordable units.
Even where rules allow it, financing, red tape, and community resistance often slow things down. But here’s the thing: if we want teachers, nurses, young families, and downsizing seniors to live in the same neighborhoods, we need missing middle housing. It fills the gap between luxury condos and sprawling suburban homes. It creates walkable, diverse communities. And it’s the only real path to affordability that doesn’t rely solely on subsidies. Without it, we’ll keep pricing people out—one zip code at a time.
