HOUSING STARTS AND BUILDING PERMITS IN FEBRUARY 1995 PRIVATELY OWNED HOUSING STARTS Privately owned housing starts in February were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,323,000, according to estimates reported today by the U.S. Commerce Department's Bureau of the Census. This is 3 (+/-6) percent below the revised January rate of 1,359,000. Single-family housing starts in February 1995 were at a rate of 1,053,000; this is 1 (+/-7) percent below the January figure of 1,059,000. The February rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 232,000. The February rate for units in buildings with two to four units was 38,000. During the first 2 months of this year, 163,100 housing units were started compared with 159,700 units for the same period in 1994. This is an increase of 2 (+/-4) percent. BUILDING PERMITS The seasonally adjusted annual rate of housing units authorized by building permits in February was 1,294,000; this is 1 (+/-1) percent below the revised January rate of 1,302,000, but 1 (+/-1) percent above the February 1994 rate of 1,279,000. Single-family authorizations in February 1995 were at a rate of 932,000; this is 7 (+/-1) percent below the January figure of 999,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 303,000; this is 29 percent above the January rate of 234,000. The February rate of permit-authorized units in buildings with two to four units was 59,000. During the first 2 months of this year, 161,100 housing units were authorized by building permits compared with 162,500 units for the same period in 1994. This is a decrease of 1 (+/-1) percent. MOBILE HOME SHIPMENTS Statistics on mobile home shipments, which lag by 1 month, appear in the Current Construction Reports, series C20. In January, manufacturers' shipments of mobile homes were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 361,000; this is 4 percent above the December figure of 347,000. The January 1994 rate was 302,000. Before seasonal adjustment, total shipments in January 1995 were 25,700. The next press release is scheduled to be issued on Tuesday, April 18, 1995, at 8:30 A.M. EDT. EXPLANATORY NOTES In interpreting changes in the statistics in this release, note that month-to-month changes in seasonally adjusted statistics often show movements which may be irregular. It may take 3 months to establish an underlying trend for total starts, mobile home shipments and building permit authorizations. Except for those on mobile home shipments, the statistics in this release are estimated from sample surveys and are subject to sampling variability as well as nonsampling error including bias and variance from response, nonreporting, and undercoverage. Estimated average relative standard errors of preliminary data are shown in the tables. Whenever a statement such as "2 (+/-3) percent above" appears in the text, this indicates the range (-1 to +5 percent) in which the actual percent change is likely to have occurred. All ranges given for percent changes are 90- percent confidence intervals and account only for sampling variability. If a range contains zero, it is uncertain whether there was an increase or decrease; that is, the change is not statistically significant. For any comparison cited without a confidence interval, the change is statistically significant. The January 1995 Current Construction Reports, C20/95-1, includes explanations of confidence intervals and sampling variability. On average, the preliminary seasonally adjusted estimates of total housing starts and building permits are revised about +/-1 percent. Statistics on mobile home shipments are compiled from manufacturers' reports to the National Conference of States on Building Codes and Standards (NCSBCS). Questions regarding these data may be directed to David Fondelier, Chief, Construction Starts Branch, telephone (301) 457-4703. NEW PRIVATELY OWNED HOUSING UNITS STARTED BY TYPE OF STRUCTURE: FEBRUARY 1995 In structures with - 3 and 4 5 units Period Total 1 unit 2 units units or more Seasonally adjusted annual rate 1994 - February 1,318 1,112 32 174 March 1,499 1,259 30 210 April 1,463 1,209 31 223 May 1,489 1,197 36 256 June 1,370 1,174 18 178 July 1,440 1,219 32 189 August 1,463 1,174 40 249 September 1,511 1,235 42 234 October 1,451 1,164 39 248 November 1,536 1,186 62 288 December(r) 1,545 1,250 33 262 1995 - January(r) 1,359 1,059 37 263 FEBRUARY(p) 1,323 1,053 38 232 AVG. RSE(%) 3 3 10 8 Not seasonally adjusted 1993 1,287.6 1,125.7 11.1 18.3 132.6 1994(r) 1,457.0 1,198.4 14.8 20.2 223.5 AVG. RSE(%) 1 1 13 6 1 1994 First 2 months 159.7 138.0 1.6 1.6 18.5 1995 First 2 months 163.1 128.0 1.7 2.6 30.7 AVG. RSE(%) 2 2 11 24 6 1994 - February 83.5 70.8 0.9 0.9 10.9 March 134.3 114.6 1.1 1.9 16.7 April 137.6 114.3 1.1 2.1 20.2 May 148.8 122.3 1.6 1.5 23.4 June 136.4 117.6 0.7 1.2 17.0 July 127.8 110.4 1.1 1.6 14.7 August 139.8 110.1 1.9 2.4 25.3 September 130.1 105.2 1.4 2.0 21.5 October 130.6 101.3 1.4 1.6 26.3 November 113.4 87.8 2.5 2.5 20.7 December(r) 98.5 76.8 0.4 2.0 19.3 1995 - January(r) 82.2 63.2 0.7 1.5 16.8 FEBRUARY(p) 80.8 64.8 1.0 1.1 13.9 AVG. RSE(%) 3 3 15 13 8 Thousands of units. Detail may not add to total because of rounding. AVG. RSE(%): Annual - Avg. RSE for the last two years. YTD - Avg. RSE for the current period and the same period last year. Monthly - Avg. RSE for the latest six month period (January-June or July-December). (p) Preliminary. (r) Revised. (Z) Less than 50 units or less than 0.5 percent. Source: Construction Reports, Series C20, Housing Starts. The C20 Report is available from the U.S. Government Printing Office. Annual subscription: $15.00. Questions regarding these data may be directed to David Fondelier, Chief, Construction Starts Branch, telephone (301) 457-4703. NEW PRIVATELY OWNED HOUSING UNITS STARTED BY REGION: FEBRUARY 1995 North- Mid- Period Total east west South West Seasonally adjusted annual rate 1994 - February 1,318 131 260 592 335 March 1,499 137 349 641 372 April 1,463 150 355 615 343 May 1,489 135 323 684 347 June 1,370 137 306 602 325 July 1,440 131 340 600 369 August 1,463 148 319 681 315 September 1,511 136 337 659 379 October 1,451 130 313 648 360 November 1,536 159 380 661 336 December(r) 1,545 139 341 714 351 1995 - January(r) 1,359 115 292 623 329 FEBRUARY(p) 1,323 130 296 553 344 AVG. RSE(%) 3 7 5 4 5 Not seasonally adjusted 1993 1,287.6 126.5 297.7 561.8 301.7 1994(r) 1,457.0 138.2 328.9 639.1 350.8 AVG. RSE (%) 1 2 2 2 2 1994 First 2 months 159.7 10.7 23.0 80.7 45.2 1995 First 2 months 163.1 11.9 25.2 82.2 43.7 AVG. RSE (%) 2 10 4 4 3 1994 - February 83.5 5.8 12.3 43.3 22.1 March 134.3 9.5 28.5 61.4 34.9 April 137.6 14.0 34.6 58.1 30.9 May 148.8 13.5 35.6 66.7 33.0 June 136.4 15.1 34.1 55.6 31.6 July 127.8 12.3 31.3 50.5 33.7 August 139.8 14.9 32.3 61.1 31.4 September 130.1 11.9 30.6 55.1 32.4 October 130.6 12.2 32.0 55.9 30.5 November 113.4 14.3 28.3 47.5 23.3 December(r) 98.5 9.6 18.6 46.6 23.7 1995 - January(r) 82.2 6.2 11.9 42.8 21.3 FEBRUARY(p) 80.8 5.7 13.3 39.5 22.4 AVG. RSE (%) 3 7 5 4 5 Thousands of units. Detail may not add to total because of rounding. AVG. RSE(%): Annual - Avg. RSE for the last two years. YTD - Avg. RSE for the current period and the s period last year. Monthly - Avg. RSE for the latest six month period (January-June or July-December). (p) Preliminary. (r) Revised. (Z) Less than 50 units or less than 0.5 percent. Source: Construction Reports, Series C20, Housing Starts. The C20 Report is available from the U.S. Government Printing Office. Annual subscription: $15.00. Questions regarding these data may be directed to David Fondelier, Chief, Construction Starts Branch, telephone (301) 457-4703. PRIVATELY OWNED HOUSING UNITS AUTHORIZED BY BUILDING PERMITS IN PERMIT-ISSUING PLACES BY TYPE OF STRUCTURE: FEBRUARY 1995 In structures with - 3 and 4 5 units Period Total 1 unit 2 units units or more Seasonally adjusted annual rate (19,000 permit-issuing places) 1994 - February 1,279 1,067 52 160 March 1,331 1,073 60 198 April 1,377 1,068 63 246 May 1,383 1,099 68 216 June 1,336 1,054 60 222 July 1,347 1,035 63 249 August 1,382 1,047 61 274 September 1,416 1,052 63 301 October 1,391 1,028 67 296 November 1,355 1,011 69 275 December 1,421 1,094 68 259 1995 - January(r) 1,302 999 69 234 FEBRUARY(p) 1,294 932 59 303 AVG. RSE(%) 1 1 4 2 Not seasonally adjusted (19,000 permit-issuing places) 1994(1) 1,332.3 1,027.7 29.6 31.5 243.5 1994 1,374.6 1,066.6 30.8 32.0 245.3 AVG. RSE(%) 1 1 2 3 1 1994 First 2 months 162.5 133.8 3.3 3.4 22.0 1995 First 2 months 161.1 119.3 3.9 3.7 34.2 AVG. RSE(%) 1 1 4 7 1 1994 - February 81.9 69.7 1.5 1.9 8.8 March 126.3 104.1 2.8 2.5 16.9 April 128.0 102.2 2.9 2.8 20.1 May 132.0 107.2 2.9 3.3 18.5 June 137.0 108.3 2.9 3.2 22.5 July 115.0 89.8 2.3 2.7 20.2 August 130.8 99.0 2.8 3.1 25.8 September 126.1 90.5 2.7 2.8 30.1 October 116.1 84.4 2.8 3.1 25.7 November 100.4 73.7 3.0 2.6 21.2 December 94.5 68.3 2.1 2.5 21.6 1995 - January(r) 79.1 58.9 1.9 2.1 16.2 FEBRUARY(p) 82.0 60.4 2.1 1.6 18.0 AVG. RSE(%) 1 1 6 6 2 Not started at end of period - not seasonally adjusted (19,000 permit-issuing places) 1994 - February(1) 122.9 76.1 3.9 42.9 December(r)(1) 115.6 66.0 3.6 46.1 1995 - January(r) 113.7 65.8 3.5 44.4 FEBRUARY(p) 115.2 65.9 3.8 45.5 AVG. RSE(%) 4 4 13 5 Thousands of units. Detail may not add to total because of rounding. AVG. RSE(%): Annual - Avg. RSE for the last two years. YTD - Avg. RSE for the current period and the same period last year. Monthly - Avg. RSE for the latest six month period (January-June or July-December). (p) Preliminary. (r) Revised. (X) Not applicable. (Z) Less than 50 units or less than 0.5 percent. (1) In 17,000 permit-issuing places. Source: Construction Reports, Series C20, Housing Starts. The C20 Report is available from the U.S. Government Printing Office. Annual subscription: $15.00. Questions regarding these data may be directed to David Fondelier, Chief, Construction Starts Branch, telephone (301) 457-4703. PRIVATELY OWNED HOUSING UNITS AUTHORIZED BY BUILDING PERMITS IN PERMIT-ISSUING PLACES BY REGION: FEBRUARY 1995 North- Mid- Period Total east west South West Seasonally adjusted annual rate (19,000 permit-issuing places) 1994 - February 1,279 106 281 558 334 March 1,331 124 300 579 328 April 1,377 136 300 597 344 May 1,383 137 303 593 350 June 1,336 140 290 564 342 July 1,347 160 297 575 315 August 1,382 138 311 589 344 September 1,416 131 294 611 380 October 1,391 127 327 587 350 November 1,355 133 306 597 319 December 1,421 158 340 617 306 1995 - January(r) 1,302 129 288 581 304 FEBRUARY(p) 1,294 112 285 546 351 AVG. RSE(%) 1 3 2 2 2 Not seasonally adjusted (19,000 permit-issuing places) 1994(1) 1,332.3 130.9 301.7 560.9 338.8 1994 1,374.6 136.6 305.7 591.1 341.1 AVG. RSE(%) 1 2 1 1 1 1994 First 2 months 162.5 10.5 26.0 82.1 43.9 1995 First 2 months 161.1 11.9 26.2 81.0 42.0 AVG. RSE(%) 1 2 1 1 1 1994 - February 81.9 5.4 13.8 40.7 22.0 March 126.3 10.4 27.1 57.0 31.7 April 128.0 12.5 29.5 54.8 31.2 May 132.0 13.7 32.1 54.0 32.1 June 137.0 15.0 30.4 54.9 36.6 July 115.0 14.5 26.7 46.7 27.0 August 130.8 13.7 31.4 53.7 32.0 September 126.1 11.8 28.0 53.8 32.5 October 116.1 11.5 30.2 45.7 28.8 November 100.4 11.0 23.2 43.3 23.0 December 94.5 10.2 19.9 42.8 21.6 1995 - January(r) 79.1 6.5 12.3 41.5 18.8 FEBRUARY(p) 82.0 5.4 13.9 39.5 23.2 AVG. RSE(%) 1 3 2 2 2 Not started at end of period - not seasonally adjusted (19,000 permit-issuing places) 1994 - February(1) 122.9 21.3 18.5 61.0 22.1 December(r)(1) 115.6 17.1 13.1 58.1 27.3 1995 - January(r) 113.7 16.6 12.8 58.8 25.5 FEBRUARY(p) 115.2 16.1 13.4 59.8 25.8 AVG. RSE(%) 4 11 11 5 5 Thousands of units. Detail may not add to total because of rounding. AVG. RSE(%): Annual - Avg. RSE for the last two years. YTD - Avg. RSE for the current period and the same period last year. Monthly - Avg. RSE for the latest six month period (January-June or July-December). (p) Preliminary. (r) Revised. (X) Not applicable. (Z) Less than 50 units or less than 0.5 percent. (1) In 17,000 permit-issuing places. Source: Construction Reports, Series C20, Housing Starts. The C20 Report is available from the U.S. Government Printing Office. Annual subscription: $15.00. Questions regarding these data may be directed to David Fondelier, Chief, Construction Starts Branch, telephone (301) 457-4703.