The US Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development announced Wednesday that privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in September were at an annual rate of 894,000, 11.6 percent above the August rate of 801,000 and is 45.1 percent higher than the September 2011 estimate of 616,000.
Single-family authorizations in September were at a rate of 545,000; this is 6.7 percent above the revised August figure of 511,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 323,000 in September.
Privately-owned housing starts in September were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 872,000. This is 15 percent above the revised August estimate of 758,000 and is 34.8 percent above the September 2011 rate of 647,000. Single-family housing starts in September were at a rate of 603,000; this is 11 percent above the revised August figure of 543,000. The September rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 260,000.
Privately-owned housing completions in September were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 683,000. This is 0.4 percent above the revised August estimate of 680,000 and is 13.8 percent above the September 2011 rate of 600,000.