
The Missing Middle Has a Missing Industry
From The Bottom-Up Revolution by Strong Towns
May 12, 2026 · 23 min · Episode 250
About this episode
Alkarim Devani discusses the challenges and opportunities in building middle housing and the need for a new generation of city builders.
Alkarim Devani has built over 1,000 homes in Calgary — fourplexes, row houses, a 212-unit heritage restoration — and noticed something strange: people kept asking about the small projects. That observation turned into a doctorate, a national education program, and a growing movement to make middle housing a viable career path for a whole new generation of city builders. In this episode, he talks about why the obstacles aren't what most people think, why large developers will never fill this gap, and what it's actually going to take to get more people building. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Alkarim Devani (LinkedIn) Alkarim Devani (Site) mddl (LinkedIn) Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn) Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here. This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Thank you! Join fellow members discussing this episode in The Commons.
People in this episode
Guest: Alkarim Devani
Topics covered
- middle housing
- urban development
- city building
- small projects
- housing industry
Keywords
- middle housing
- Calgary
- urban development
- city builders
- housing projects
- Alkarim Devani
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Strong Towns, mddl
Places: Calgary
More episodes of The Bottom-Up Revolution
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- The Lane That Kept Bringing Crashes · June 9, 2026 · 22 min
- Small‑Town Housing, Big Feelings · June 4, 2026 · 44 min
- Students Who Got a Sidewalk Built in 14 Days · June 2, 2026 · 22 min
- Listening Your Way Into Local Change · May 28, 2026 · 31 min
- Spokane, Washington Is Betting on Buses, Benches, and Fourplexes · May 26, 2026 · 18 min
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