(08-16-19)
The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced the following new residential construction statistics for July 2019: Building Permits – Privately‐owned housing units authorized by building permits in July were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,336,000. This is 8.4 percent (±1.1 percent) above the revised June rate of 1,232,000 and is 1.5 percent (±1.4 percent) above the July 2018 rate of 1,316,000. Single‐family authorizations in July were at a rate of 838,000; this is 1.8 percent (±1.4 percent) above the revised June figure of 823,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 453,000 in July. Housing Starts – Privately‐owned housing starts in July were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,191,000. This is 4.0 percent (±8.0 percent)* below the revised June estimate of 1,241,000, but is 0.6 percent (±8.2 percent)* above the July 2018 rate of 1,184,000. Single‐family housing starts in July were at a rate of 876,000; this is 1.3 percent (±11.8 percent)* above the revised June figure of 865,000. The July rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 303,000. Housing Completions – Privately‐owned housing completions in July were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,250,000. This is 7.2 percent (±11.4 percent)* above the revised June estimate of 1,166,000 and is 6.3 percent (±12.0 percent)* above the July 2018 rate of 1,176,000. Single‐family housing completions in July were at a rate of 918,000; this is 4.3 percent (±10.8 percent)* above the revised June rate of 880,000. The July rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 321,000.