The US Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced Wednesday that privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in December 2010 were at a seasonally adjusted rate of 635,000-16.7 percent (±2.1 percent) above the revised November rate of 544,000, but still 6.8 percent (±2.8 percent) below the December 2009 estimate of 681,000. Single-family authorizations in December totaled 440,000-5.5 percent (±2.3 percent) above the revised November figure of 417,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 172,000 in December, compared to 107,000 authorizations in November 2010.
Privately-owned housing starts in December were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 529,000-4.3 percent (±14.1 percent) below the revised November estimate of 553,000 and 8.2 percent (±14.4 percent) below the December 2009 rate of 576,000. Single-family housing starts in December were at a rate of 417,000-9 percent (±11.7 percent) below the revised November figure of 458,000. The December rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 102,000, compared to 81,000 authorizations in November 2010.