On June 1, 2026, Assembly Members Erin Baldwin Day & George Martinez released an ordinance designed to expand housing options in Anchorage and implement the land use goals outlined in the 2020 Comprehensive Plan and 2040 Land Use Plan through a new zoning overlay for Missing Middle Housing.
The proposed overlay would allow development of “missing middle” housing types — including duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, cottage courts, and townhomes — in targeted areas along key transportation corridors. A zoning overlay allows property owners in a designated area to opt-in to standards that deviate from what their zone typically allows without changing the standards for all other properties in the zone. The legislation is intended to empower property owners to maximize the use of existing land, improve affordability through increased housing supply, and support walkable neighborhoods served by public infrastructure.
“Anchorage must have more realistic housing options for working families, young professionals, elders, and longtime residents who want to age in place,” said Assembly Member Martinez, who represents District 5, East Anchorage and chairs the Assembly Community & Economic Development Committee. “The Missing Middle Housing proposal makes good on the promises made in the Anchorage 2040 Land Use Plan and activates areas that have already been identified as ripe for targeted housing investment.”…