(04-19-19)
The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced the following new residential construction statistics for March 2019: Building Permits – Privately‐owned housing units authorized by building permits in March were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,269,000. This is 1.7 percent (±1.4 percent) below the revised February rate of 1,291,000 and is 7.8 percent (±1.9 percent) below the March 2018 rate of 1,377,000.
Single‐family authorizations in March were at a rate of 808,000; this is 1.1 percent (±1.5 percent)* below the revised February figure of 817,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 425,000 in March. Housing Starts – Privately‐owned housing starts in March were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,139,000. This is 0.3 percent (±14.6 percent)* below the revised February estimate of 1,142,000 and is 14.2 percent (±8.8 percent) below the March 2018 rate of 1,327,000. Single‐family housing starts in March were at a rate of 785,000; this is 0.4 percent (±15.2 percent)* below the revised February figure of 788,000. The March rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 337,000. Housing Completions – Privately‐owned housing completions in March were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,313,000. This is 1.9 percent (±19.5 percent)* below the revised February estimate of 1,338,000, but is 6.8 percent (±15.8 percent)* above the March 2018 rate of 1,229,000. Single‐family housing completions in March were at a rate of 938,000; this is 11.9 percent (±14.2 percent)* above the revised February rate of 838,000. The March rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 364,000.