According to data released Thursday by the US Census Bureau, housing units authorized by building permits increased by 0.7 percent from December 2011 to January 2012 to an annual rate of 676,000. Building permits surged by 19 percent compared to January 2011.
Housing starts in January also increased, and were up 1.5 percent compared to December 2011 to a 699,000 annual rate. Year-on-year housing starts registered a 9.9 percent increase from January 2011.
Housing completions in January were at an annual rate of 530,000--12 percent below the December 2011 level and 4.1 percent higher than housing completions in January 2011.