Residential construction continues recovery

Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced the following new residential construction statistics for August 2015. Privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in August were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,170,000. This is 3.5 percent above the revised July rate of 1,130,000 and is 12.5 percent above the August 2014 estimate of 1,040,000.

Single-family authorizations in August were at a rate of 699,000; this is 2.8 percent above the revised July figure of 680,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 440,000 in August.

Privately-owned housing starts in August were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,126,000. This is 3.0 percent below the revised July estimate of 1,161,000, but is 16.6 percent above the August 2014 rate of 966,000.

Single-family housing starts in August were at a rate of 739,000; this is 3.0 percent below the revised July figure of 762,000. The August rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 381,000.

Privately-owned housing completions in August were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 935,000. This is 6.1 percent below the revised July estimate of 996,000, but is 3.3 percent above the August 2014 rate of 905,000.

Single-family housing completions in August were at a rate of 646,000; this is 1.6 percent above the revised July rate of 636,000. The August rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 283,000.