June 29, 2026
Hon. Krystal Oriadha, Chair
Prince George’s County Council
Wayne K. Curry Administration Building
1301 McCormick Dr, Largo, MD 20774
RE: Support for Missing Middle Housing Study – Agenda item #8
Dear Chair Oriadha and members of the Council:
Please accept these comments on behalf of the Coalition for Smarter Growth (CSG), we advocate for walkable, bikeable, inclusive, transit-oriented communities as the most sustainable and equitable way for the Washington, DC region to grow and provide opportunities for all. We also support and work closely with RISE Prince George’s, a group of county residents and allies advocating for policies and practices that build shared, sustainable prosperity in Prince George’s County by creating safe, walkable, inclusive and transit-oriented communities.
We wish to express our enthusiasm for the county’s innovative missing middle study to address the housing needs of a range of residents – which is the briefing item #8 on your agenda. We commend the county for initiating this study. This effort will investigate how to broaden housing options to ensure Prince George’s is a great place to grow up, enjoy young adulthood, raise a family, and age in the community.
This assessment can help the county use house-scale buildings to expand homeownership and diversify housing opportunities for a range of Prince George’s residents. The county already offers many of these kinds of housing types, but given the demand for more affordable choices, we should further consider how missing middle housing can be more a part of the solution.
We strongly support focusing on areas best suited for missing middle housing, as presented in the maps in the briefing on the study. We are eager to see this work advance and commend the Planning Department for bringing in the urban design firm Opticos, a renown national leader on missing middle housing and design for walkable neighborhoods.
A thoughtful assessment of the potential for missing middle housing will help Prince George’s foster more walkable, diverse, and thriving neighborhoods. We are excited to contribute to this effort. It offers great promise to address important housing needs for residents. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Cheryl Cort
DC and Prince George’s Policy Director