Raleigh’s Missing Middle Still in Court

A look at where things stand as legal challenges continue

At CITYBUILDER, we believe better housing policy is worth fighting for. Even when change meets resistance, we stay focused on the long game. Raleigh’s “Missing Middle” reforms are still tied up in court, but the broader momentum for housing choice hasn’t slowed.

We’re proud to republish this update from CITYBUILDER board member Eric Braun, originally posted at RaleighForward, where he shares thoughtful commentary on local housing, transit, and governance. Eric brings a sharp legal lens and steady optimism to the conversation — a perspective we’re excited to share with our readers.

Given the recent news that the developer of the Hayes Barton townhome community received approval of an amended plan for 17 townhomes, we thought it was time to provide an update on all of the Missing Middle litigation. As readers may recall, this proposed project spawned the first lawsuit challenging Raleigh’s Missing Middle reforms.

These reforms (TC-5-20 “Missing and Middle 1.0”) and (TC-20-2021 “Missing Mid…