Omaha housing stock vs. elsewhere

[TreeKiid]

Why does Omaha excel at building single family starter homes and suck at building missing middle housing? Other nearby cities experience an opposite problem. Using closest cities as an example, Lincoln and Des Moines seem to be able to incorporate duplexes, townhomes and other for sale housing options into every suburban development. in Omaha most neighborhoods are exclusively single family. However, neither Lincoln nor Des Moines have new neighborhoods of entry split-level homes (this style is almost nonexistent in DM, however they easily have over double the amount of trailer homes in their metro.) developers vary in products from market to market, but why have we not followed changing building trends until recently? Would be interested in hearing others thoughts.

[ricko]

Why does Omaha excel at building single family starter homes and suck at building missing middle housing? Other nearby cities experience an opposite problem. Using closest cities as an example, Lincoln and Des Moines seem to be able to incorporate duplexes, townhomes and other for sale housing options into every suburban development. in Omaha most neighborhoods are exclusively single family. However, neither Lincoln nor Des Moines have new neighborhoods of entry split-level homes (this style is almost nonexistent in DM, however they easily have over double the amount of trailer homes in their metro.) developers vary in products from market to market, but why have we not followed changing building trends until recently? Would be interested in hearing others thoughts.

The “missing middle” debate is a big topic of discussion in the DC suburbs, even with an abundance of townhomes and condos. When the average income for a city isn’t enough to afford an average home (and “average” is a relative thing depending on your expectations), there’s a housing crisis. I suspect Omaha will be more accepting of row housing/townhomes and condos when it becomes a necessity. I don’t think most Omahans are willing to give up their yards just yet.

[iamjacobm]

I am not familiar enough with DSM's townhome construction, but Omaha is building some of that product type.

There are probably ~50 relatively recently built townhomes south of Leavenworth between 30th and 33rd.
There are the ones who just finished off of Leavenworth and 55th.
There are ~8 that went up behind the Family Fare in Dundee.
There is the pocket off of 10th south of downtown.
I think there was another pocket at approximately 10th and Center that just went up.
There are 8 or so going up at 21st and Pierce.
There is a townhome development proposed just outside Aksarben Village.
Theres some small lot/townhomes planned at Heartwood.

I am sure I am overlooking some, those are just off the top of my head. Could always build more, but the product type isn't exactly foreign in Omaha.

[Garrett]

Here's some data I found from the St. Louis Fed. It only notes housing for 1 unit housing, and then all housing including 1 unit, but it gives the general sense of things. Basically, I think missing middle is actually not too missing and very common, the issue is we just see a lot of it in the suburban context.

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/OMAH531BPPRIV

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/OMAH531BP1FH

[TreeKiid]

I meant more suburban I guess. If you use google earth to fly over western DM suburbs (Waulkee and WDM) and Ankeny (prairie trails) you see that they have so many developments that are between SFH and standard apartments. For West O I can only think of:
Ravello 192,
Lynbrook townhomes,
stone creek village, hillsborough pointe townhomes and chateau,
Falling water villas

We have quite a few more coming online ie:
The trails at North Stream (NE of Coventry)
Row homes at Coventry (name?)
juniper rows (120th military and 204th & Main)
Capriana (old towne Elkhorn)
EVO (north of antler view apts)
sandstone villas (stone creek)
Allora 168 (168th and 370)
Vestara 72 (shadow lake)
and the redwood apartment villas (Sorensen & wenninghoff and 25th & Cornhusker)

All of these are just completed or are nearing completion (except the redwood projects). Probably more than doubling options in this segment of our market.

It’s just seems to have taken so long for us to get on board with these developments that other cities have been doing for the past two decades.