Source: The New York Times

Date Published: 08.02.2025

Link: Triangles, Crescents, Slivers: Can Odd-Shaped Lots Help Ease the Housing Crisis?

Previously, triangular plots, crescent-shaped parcels, or narrow strips of land have been unusuable, prohibiting the development of desperately needed missing middle and denser housing. Over the past year cities have been changing their zoning codes to allow for denser development on irregular sized lots. Zoning changes include getting rid of minimum lot sizes, parking requirements, and staircase requirements. Beyond changing zoning codes, cities are incentivizing the development of this new market through permit increases, creative design, and innovative strategies. One example of note is Los Angeles, which hosted a design contest where the winning design would be used for approximately 4,000 parcels in the city.