(03-08-19)

March 26, 2019 ‐ The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced the following new residential construction statistics for February 2019: Building Permits – Privately‐owned housing units authorized by building permits in February were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,296,000.

This is 1.6 percent (±1.2 percent) below the revised January rate of 1,317,000 and is 2.0 percent (±1.7 percent) below the February 2018 rate of 1,323,000. Single‐family authorizations in February were at a rate of 821,000; this is 0.0 percent (±0.7 percent)* below the revised January figure of 821,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 439,000 in February. Housing Starts – Privately‐owned housing starts in February were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,162,000. This is 8.7 percent (±10.3 percent)* below the revised January estimate of 1,273,000 and is 9.9 percent (±11.5 percent)* below the February 2018 rate of 1,290,000. Single‐family housing starts in February were at a rate of 805,000; this is 17.0 percent (±11.2 percent) below the revised January figure of 970,000. The February rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 352,000. Housing Completions – Privately‐owned housing completions in February were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,303,000. This is 4.5 percent (±17.8 percent)* above the revised January estimate of 1,247,000 and is 1.1 percent (±18.6 percent)* above the February 2018 rate of 1,289,000. Single‐family housing completions in February were at a rate of 816,000; this is 10.0 percent (±11.0 percent)* below the revised January rate of 907,000. The February rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 473,000.