(09-18-19)

The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced the following new residential construction statistics for August 2019: Building Permits – Privately‐owned housing units authorized by building permits in August were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,419,000.  This is 7.7 percent (±1.2 percent) above the revised July rate of 1,317,000 and is 12.0 percent (±1.6 percent) above the August 2018 rate of 1,267,000.  Single‐family authorizations in August were at a rate of 866,000; this is 4.5 percent (±0.8 percent) above the revised July figure of 829,000.  Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 509,000 in August. Housing Starts – Privately‐owned housing starts in August were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,364,000.  This is 12.3 percent (±10.2 percent) above the revised July estimate of 1,215,000 and is 6.6 percent (±11.6 percent)* above the August 2018 rate of 1,279,000.  Single‐family housing starts in August were at a rate of 919,000; this is 4.4 percent (±10.3 percent)* above the revised July figure of 880,000. The August rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 424,000.  Housing Completions – Privately‐owned housing completions in August were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,294,000.  This is 2.4 percent (±11.5 percent)* above the revised July estimate of 1,264,000 and is 5.0 percent (±11.2 percent)* above the August 2018 rate of 1,232,000.  Single‐family housing completions in August were at a rate of 945,000; this is 3.7 percent (±10.5 percent)* above the revised July rate of 911,000. The August rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 338,000.