On Wednesday, the US Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced that privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in June were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 755,000. This is 3.7 percent below the revised May rate of 784,000, but is 19.3 percent above the June 2011 estimate of 633,000. Single-family authorizations in June were at a rate of 493,000; this is 0.6 percent above the revised May figure of 490,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 241,000 in June.
Meanwhile, privately-owned housing starts in June were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 760,000. This is 6.9 percent above the revised May estimate of 711,000 and is 23.6 percent above the June 2011 rate of 615,000. Single-family housing starts in June were at a rate of 539,000; this is 4.7 percent above the revised May figure of 515,000. The June rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 213,000.
Privately-owned housing completions in June were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 622,000. This is 2.6 percent above the revised May estimate of 606,000 and is 7.2 percent above the June 2011 rate of 580,000. Single-family housing completions in June were at a rate of 470,000; this is 1.3 percent above the revised May rate of 464,000. The June rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 134,000.