(10-17-19)

The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced the following new residential construction statistics for September 2019: Building Permits – Privately‐owned housing units authorized by building permits in September were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,387,000. This is 2.7 percent (±1.3 percent) below the revised August rate of 1,425,000, but is 7.7 percent (±2.4 percent) above the September 2018 rate of 1,288,000. Single‐family authorizations in September were at a rate of 882,000; this is 0.8 percent (±0.8 percent)* above the revised August figure of 875,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 470,000 in September. Housing Starts – Privately‐owned housing starts in September were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,256,000. This is 9.4 percent (±9.4 percent)* below the revised August estimate of 1,386,000, but is 1.6 percent (±11.6 percent)* above the September 2018 rate of 1,236,000. Single‐family housing starts in September were at a rate of 918,000; this is 0.3 percent (±9.3 percent)* above the revised August figure of 915,000. The September rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 327,000. Housing Completions – Privately‐owned housing completions in September were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,139,000. This is 9.7 percent (±9.2 percent) below the revised August estimate of 1,262,000 and is 1.0 percent (±9.9 percent)* below the September 2018 rate of 1,150,000. Single‐family housing completions in September were at a rate of 852,000; this is 8.6 percent (±9.3 percent)* below the revised August rate of 932,000. The September rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 285,000.