The
US Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development announced Tuesday that privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in May were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 991,000. This is 6.4 percent (±0.8 percent) below the revised April rate of 1,059,000 and is 1.9 percent (±1.4 percent) below the May 2013 estimate of 1,010,000. Single-family authorizations in May were at a rate of 619,000; this is 3.7 percent (±1.2 percent) above the revised April figure of 597,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 347,000 in May.
Privately-owned housing starts in May were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,001,000. This is 6.5 percent (±10.2 percent) below the revised April estimate of 1,071,000, but is 9.4 percent (±11.0 percent) above the May 2013 rate of 915,000. Single-family housing starts in May were at a rate of 625,000; this is 5.9 percent (±12.7 percent) below the revised April figure of 664,000. The May rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 366,000.