The Challenges of Infill Middle Housing in Bellingham

Abstract

In 2025, Bellingham WA enacted a new infill housing program to promote the construction of middle housing. This type of policy follows a nationwide shift in development that challenges the use of single-family residential construction in favor of infill middle housing that better matches the needs of the population. Over the course of 2025, 98% of the middle housing in-fill units were constructed by professional real estate developers but the volume is still not enough to keep up with the pace of population growth in Bellingham. During this study I used professional interviews with real estate developers along with a systematic literature review to identify four main challenges to infill middle housing construction in Bellingham. The challenges identified are building codes, available property, financing/cost, and available contractors. Each of these issues present significant challenges to real estate developers trying to build more infill middle housing in Bellingham. Should policies or social measures resolve these problems, construction activity may surpass the levels recorded in 2025. This is a crucial step to address Bellingham’s national leading housing cost issue.