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 January were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 925,000. This is 1.8 percent above the revised December rate of 909,000 and is 35.2 percent above the January 2012 estimate of 684,000. Single-family authorizations in January were at a rate of 584,000; this is 1.9 percent above the revised December figure of 573,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 311,000 in January.
Privately-owned housing starts in January were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 890,000. This is 8.5 percent below the revised December estimate of 973,000, but is 23.6 percent above the January 2012 rate of 720,000. Single-family housing starts in January were at a rate of 613,000; this is 0.8 percent above the revised December figure of 608,000. The January rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 260,000.
Privately-owned housing completions in January were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 724,000. This is 6 percent above the revised December estimate of 683,000 and is 33.6 percent above the January 2012 rate of 542,000. Single-family housing completions in January were at a rate of 565,000; this is 7 percent above the revised December rate of 528,000. The January rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 152,000.