(08-18-20)

The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced the following new residential construction statistics for July 2020: Building Permits – Privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in July were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,495,000. This is 18.8 percent (±1.1 percent) above the revised June rate of 1,258,000 and is 9.4 percent (±1.5 percent) above the July 2019 rate of 1,366,000. Single-family authorizations in July were at a rate of 983,000; this is 17.0 percent (±1.2 percent) above the revised June figure of 840,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 467,000 in July. Housing Starts – Privately-owned housing starts in July were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,496,000. This is 22.6 percent (±14.7percent) above the revised June estimate of 1,220,000 and is 23.4 percent (±12.4 percent) above the July 2019 rate of 1,212,000. Single-family housing starts in July were at a rate of 940,000; this is 8.2 percent (±10.3 percent)* above the revised June figure of 869,000. The July rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 547,000. Housing Completions – Privately-owned housing completions in July were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,280,000. This is 3.6 percent (±14.9 percent)* above the revised June estimate of 1,236,000 and is 1.7 percent (±12.8 percent)* above the July 2019 rate of 1,258,000. Single-family housing completions in July were at a rate of 909,000; this is 1.8 percent (±16.8 percent)* below the revised June rate of 926,000. The July rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 364,000.