Why I'm building middle housing
From Household Economics to Housing Outcomes
In my last piece, I explored how today’s capitalism has failed to prioritize well-being—and how sustainable capitalism could start with making the fundamentals of care, time, and stability easier to attain. That idea isn’t theoretical for me.
I’ve been spending the past year and a half working on exactly that—through the Deer Harbor Group, a company I founded to develop sustainable middle housing in the heart of my hometown, Seattle.
For those unfamiliar, “middle housing” refers to housing types that fall between single-family homes and high-rise apartments—think duplexes, fourplexes, cottage courts, and small apartment buildings. These forms used to be common in walkable, mixed-income neighborhoods but have been zoned out of existence in most U.S. cities, particularly in the west. The “middle” can be both middle in size and middle in income level.
And that’s a problem—not just for affordability, but for sustainability, equity, and community.
The Problem with Our Housing System
We’ve built a housing system in the Seattle area (and much of North America) that serves almost no one well:
Young people and families are priced out of neighborhoods where they work and grew up.
Older adults often have too much house and too few nearby services.
Renters face instability, while homebuyers are locked into scarce, expensive inventory.
Communities struggle with long commutes, social isolation, and disappearing local businesses.
And underlying it all: a massive climate footprint from sprawling, car-dependent development patterns.
Middle housing offers a path out of this trap. It allows us to grow within our existing neighborhoods—gently, affordably, and sustainably.
Why I Started Deer Harbor Group
Deer Harbor Group was born from a simple question: How can I positively contribute to the future I want? After taking a step back from a high intensity job as the general counsel of a fintech about two years ago, I had an unexpected moment of opportunity to consider how I was spending my time. What was important, what was fulfilling, and what sounded fun?
Sustainability as I’ve been writing in this series was immediately (and somewhat newly) the clear priority. But that was a massive area with many paths of contribution and an overwhelming problem space. The key was matching my desire to help create the future I wanted to see with an area that I find both endlessly interesting and really fun: homes.
At the time, Washington State had just passed a statewide law that impacted major metropolitan areas, opening up what could be built in Seattle. I was able to ask: What if we built housing that actually aligned with the kind of future we say we want? What if I actually built that housing in the neighborhoods in and around where I grew up and now live?
That means:
Increased inventory of middle income affordable homes in the city
Beautiful and clever architecture that preserves the character of our neighborhoods
Small-scale buildings and projects that fit into pre-existing developments
Lower-carbon materials and methods
Higher efficiency construction with solar to support decentralized energy production
Walkable locations near transit, schools, and services
Designs that support multigenerational living, renters, and first-time and last-time buyers
Financial models that aim for long-term community benefit, not short-term investor exit
This isn’t about luxury condos or mega-developments. It’s about making it possible for people to live near their work, their schools, their parents—and for those neighborhoods to remain inclusive, diverse, and thriving.
Housing as a Foundation for Prosperity
If we want a capitalism that works for more people—and for the planet—we need to change what we build, where we build, and who gets to live there.
Housing isn’t just a commodity. It’s the foundation of a healthy life and a functioning economy. When people have a stable, affordable, connected place to live, everything else becomes more possible: parenting, caregiving, working, creating, belonging.
That’s why this is where I’m focusing my energy. As I continue writing about what a more sustainable, inclusive prosperity could look like, I’ll also be sharing more about what we’re building—literally—at Deer Harbor Group.
We don’t have all the answers. But we’re trying something with a little bit of a different angle. And that, I think, is where change begins.
(no, I have not done this before. That’s the “fun” part?)