Building Permits on the Downside

 

The Midwest fared the best over the past year, with a total increase of permits of 44.6 percent of which 56.9 percent were single units. The Northeast fared the worst over the past year, with a total increase of permits of 17.9 percent of which 12.9 percent were single units.

Privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in March were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 685,000. This is 7.5 percent above the revised February rate of 637,000 and is 34.1 percent above the March 2009 estimate of 511,000.

Single-family authorizations in March were at a rate of 543,000; this is 5.6 percent above the revised February figure of 514,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 120,000 in March. - Courtesy of Economics and Statistics Administration