The US Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced Thursday that privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in April were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,017,000. This is 14.3 percent above the revised March rate of 890,000 and is 35.8 percent above the April 2012 estimate of 749,000. Single-family authorizations in April were at a rate of 617,000; this is 3 percent above the revised March figure of 599,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 374,000 in April.
Privately-owned housing starts in April were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 853,000. This is 16.5 percent below the revised March estimate of 1,021,000, but is 13.1 percent above the April 2012 rate of 754,000. Single-family housing starts in April were at a rate of 610,000; this is 2.1 percent below the revised March figure of 623,000. The April rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 234,000.
Privately-owned housing completions in April were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 689,000. This is 14.3 percent below the revised March estimate of 804,000, but is 3.3 percent above the April 2012 rate of 667,000.