The Missing Middle

Monterey County is facing a growing housing crisis that touches every district, industry, and community.

Middle-income residents are stuck in the gap: they earn too much to qualify for subsidies, but too little to afford market-rate housing.

These include the essential backbone of our region: teachers, healthcare providers, service workers, families, and seniors.

While there are many valuable efforts underway in the region and across the state to tackle similar housing challenges, the Attainable Housing Initiative is unique in its community-driven approach, bringing together cross-sector expertise and aligning local resources to specifically address Monterey’s unique housing landscape. By focusing on distinct place-based needs, this initiative aims to create a model that can inspire and inform broader housing strategies in California.

Without action, the “Missing Middle” is being pushed out—leading to longer commutes, increased pollution, worsening labor shortages, and weakened community ties.