Arlington County, Virginia may legalize multifamily housing countywide

Arlington County, Va., a Washington, D.C.-area community, is considering proposed legislation that would remove zoning restrictions on multifamily housing up to eight units in size.

The draft proposal, stemming from the county’s Missing Middle Housing Study, is similar to regulations recently passed in Minneapolis and Portland, Ore. The maximum number of units in Arlington’s proposal would depend on lot size, from duplexes on the smallest lots up to a maximum of eight units on larger lots.

This would be a significant change from the county’s current zoning policy that restricts most non-federal land to only single-family homes. Neighborhoods that are predominantly duplexes and townhouses today and other mixed-use areas would not be impacted.

Advocates say the proposal would help alleviate a serious housing shortage. It is likely to generate some contentious opposition, though.