Urban Math: the multiplying power of small scale multi-family

[Doady]

Street of single-family houses in inner Chicago:
https://goo.gl/maps/HoTZML7teydbTpbp9

Street of apartment buildings in inner Toronto:
https://goo.gl/maps/dvjCjXANx9j5rbf79

Street of single-family houses in suburban Toronto:
https://goo.gl/maps/tib17uF8e5pRh1aU7

Street of single-family houses in suburban Atlanta:
https://goo.gl/maps/EvtLsQzD7nq1YKfR7

I think to make the issue of higher density vs. lower density too much an issue of multi-family housing vs. single-family houses is a big mistake. A lot of US and Canada haven't even taken the first steps, but somehow we expect them to make the big leap. One step at a time seems better.

I go to Montreal and I always love all the side streets lined with those winding staircases for those low-rise apartments. But I'm not sure even Toronto is at that point yet, let alone the rest of Canada and US. The full potential of even the single-family house is still largely untapped here, let alone the potential of semi-detached houses, townhouses/rowhouses, stacked townhouses, low-rise apartments, etc.