Court Decision Overturns Missing Middle Ordinance in Arlington
✉️ Want to forward this article? Click here.

In the spring of 2023, the Arlington County Board voted unanimously to approve allowing Missing Middle housing in Arlington neighborhoods where single-family homes were only previously allowed. A court ruling on Friday may put an end to that.
Today, a circuit court judge ruled that the new ordinance should be struck down, as the impacts of missing middle housing in Arlington had not been adequately studied.
The term “missing middle” was coined by architect Daniel Parolek to describe the dearth of housing types — somewhere between single-family homes and mid-rise multi-family buildings — that would accommodate the needs of a large swath of the middle class. The approval of the ordinance last spring made it easier to build townhouses, duplexes and 4-6 unit buildings. Today's ruling means that the county can not issue permits for this type of housing in areas previously zoned for single-family homes.
story continues below
story continues above
It is likely that Arlington will appeal today's ruling, continuing what has been a contentious battle between those lobbying for missing middle housing and those fighting against it. Arlington is the first jurisdiction in the DC region to widely approve missing middle housing; Minneapolis and Portland, Oregon approved similar measures in recent years.
See other articles related to: missing middle, missing middle arlington, missing middle housing
This article originally published at http://dc.urbanturf.production.logicbrush.com/articles/blog/court_decision_overturns_missing_middle_ordinance_in_arlington/22763.
Most Popular... This Week • Last 30 Days • Ever

Today, UrbanTurf is taking a look at the tax benefits associated with buying a home t... read »

Reports over the last week have suggested that a flood of homes hit the market as the... read »

The listing is the largest residence in the building and lives like a townhome, with ... read »

Fifteen years later, plans appear to be back in the works for one of Georgetown's mos... read »

The wheels are in motion to convert an office building in downtown DC into a large re... read »
- A Look At The Tax Benefits of Buying a Home Through a Trust
- The DC Area Is Not Seeing A Surge Of Homes Hit The Market Due To Federal Layoffs
- One-of-a-Kind Residence in a Former Embassy Hits the Market in Adams Morgan
- Fifth Time's A Charm? A 21-Unit Development Is Back On The Table For Georgetown Exxon Site
- DOJ-To-Residential? 500-Unit Apartment Conversion Pitched For Judiciary Plaza Office Building
DC Real Estate Guides
Short guides to navigating the DC-area real estate market
We've collected all our helpful guides for buying, selling and renting in and around Washington, DC in one place. Start browsing below!
First-Timer Primers
Intro guides for first-time home buyers
Unique Spaces
Awesome and unusual real estate from across the DC Metro