Stories — Incremental Development Alliance

Missing Middle Housing

By: Chris Allen

Missing Middle Housing is the range of house-scale, multi-unit housing that sits between detached single-family homes and large apartment buildings. It includes duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, cottage courts, courtyard apartments, townhouses, live-work buildings, and small apartment buildings. The term was coined by Daniel Parolek of Opticos Design to describe housing types that are “compatible in scale with detached single-family homes” while providing more choices in walkable neighborhoods.

IncDev PositionChris AllenFebruary 2, 2026Comment

Accessory Dwelling Units

By: Chris Allen

Accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, are one of the most practical first steps a community can take toward a more incremental, affordable, and adaptable housing system. An ADU is a small, independent home located on the same lot as a primary residence. It may be a backyard cottage, garage apartment, basement apartment, internal suite, or small addition.

IncDev PositionChris AllenJanuary 2, 2026Comment

Erin Claussen’s Hotel Royal

IncDev alumna Erin Claussen, Principal and Owner at Toledo Revival, is starting construction on the Hotel Royal in Toledo, OH in April. The property is 8,000 square feet of rehabilitated, mixed-use space in Toledo's Middlegounds neighborhood and contains 2,900 square feet of commercial space and three two-bedroom apartments. From Erin: "I attended a workshop in Memphis in 2017, and the info that I took home from there was so helpful, in addition to what I've gleaned from the small developer [Facebook] group. We are finalizing construction documents, have a tenant for our entire commercial space, and are currently seeking investors to secure construction loans."

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