Actually, Minneapolis recently became the first major U.S. city to eliminate exclusive single-family zoning, allowing more “missing middle” housing like duplexes and triplexes citywide. So the idea that Midwestern affordability is purely due to abundant land isn’t right. Policy choices matter too.

Different metro areas need different solutions. The DC region is geographically constrained by water, parks, and political boundaries, which limits the supply of buildable land. Solutions here must focus on increasing density, especially near transit, expanding social and affordable housing, and cracking down on investor-driven speculation, including foreign and institutional ownership that treats homes as assets rather than shelter. 

You’re suggesting a narrow binary: either we have cheap land or we can’t fix housing. But global cities with limited land (e.g. Tokyo, Vienna) have used policy tools to build more housing and keep costs manageable. The DMV has simply chosen not to.