HOUSING STARTS AND BUILDING PERMITS IN DECEMBER 1995 AND JANUARY 1996 PRIVATELY OWNED HOUSING STARTS Privately owned housing starts in January 1996 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,446,000, according to estimates reported today by the U.S. Commerce Department's Bureau of the Census. This is 4 (+/-8) percent above the December 1995 rate of 1,385,000, which was also reported today. The December rate is 5 (+/-7) percent below the revised November rate of 1,458,000. Single-family housing starts in January were at a rate of 1,132,000; this is 1 (+/-7) percent above the December rate of 1,116,000. The December figure is 1 (+/-7) percent below the November rate of 1,129,000. The January rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 283,000; the December rate was 239,000. The January rate for units in buildings with two to four units was 31,000; the December rate was 30,000. An estimated 1,350,500 privately owned housing units were started in 1995. This is 7 (+/-1) percent below the 1994 figure of 1,457,000. BUILDING PERMITS The seasonally adjusted annual rate of housing units authorized by building permits in January 1996 was 1,373,000; this is 7 (+/-1) percent below the December 1995 rate of 1,478,000. The December rate is 2 (+/-1) percent above the revised November rate of 1,448,000. Single-family authorizations in January were at a rate of 1,045,000; this is 6 (+/-1) percent below the December rate of 1,110,000. The December figure is 4 (+/-1) percent above the November rate of 1,069,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 259,000 in January; this is 15 percent below the December figure of 304,000. The January rate of permit-authorized units in buildings with two to four units was 69,000; the December rate was 64,000. An estimated 1,333,000 housing units were authorized by building permits in 1995. This is 3 (+/-1) percent below the 1994 figure of 1,371,600. MOBILE HOME SHIPMENTS Statistics on mobile home shipments, which lag by 1 month, appear in the Current Construction Reports, series C20. In December, manufacturers' shipments of mobile homes were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 352,000, 1 percent below the November rate of 355,000. Before seasonal adjustment, total shipments in December 1995 were 24,100; shipments in November 1995 were 29,400. The date of the next press release will be announced later. SPECIAL NOTES ABOUT THIS RELEASE Although released for the first time, the December 1995 data on housing starts and building permits shown in this release include additional reports and corrections normally associated with the first revision to the estimates. Seasonally adjusted data are revised annually using the latest available information. The seasonally adjusted estimates of housing starts shown in this release have been revised. Revised monthly data for January 1993 through November 1995 will appear in the December 1995/January 1996 Current Construction Reports, C20/96-1, which will be issued in March. In addition, seasonally adjusted statistics for manufacturers' shipments of mobile homes for January 1993 through October 1995 have been revised and will appear in the December/January report. 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 December 1995/January 1996 Current Construction Reports, C20/96-1, will include 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 Erica Filipek, Construction Starts Branch, telephone (301) 457-4703. NEW PRIVATELY OWNED HOUSING UNITS STARTED BY TYPE OF STRUCTURE: DECEMBER 1995 AND JANUARY 1996 In structures with - 3 and 4 5 units Period Total 1 unit 2 units units or more Seasonally adjusted annual rate 1993(r) January 1,210 1,091 27 92 February 1,210 1,063 22 125 March 1,083 950 28 105 April 1,258 1,110 28 120 May 1,260 1,128 25 107 June 1,280 1,081 34 165 July 1,254 1,086 51 117 August 1,300 1,162 19 119 September 1,343 1,143 30 170 October 1,392 1,209 35 148 November 1,376 1,228 28 120 December 1,533 1,316 22 195 1994(r) January 1,277 1,142 22 113 February 1,333 1,124 31 178 March 1,531 1,280 31 220 April 1,491 1,230 35 226 May 1,507 1,220 36 251 June 1,401 1,187 18 196 July 1,431 1,221 29 181 August 1,454 1,161 43 250 September 1,483 1,210 38 235 October 1,437 1,145 37 255 November 1,504 1,177 60 267 December 1,505 1,207 34 264 1995(r) January 1,370 1,062 38 270 February 1,322 1,051 44 227 March 1,241 992 35 214 April 1,278 1,017 25 236 May 1,300 1,005 36 259 June 1,301 1,036 35 230 July 1,450 1,125 39 286 August 1,401 1,135 28 238 September 1,401 1,130 39 232 October 1,351 1,109 31 211 November 1,458 1,129 32 297 December(1) 1,385 1,116 30 239 1996 - JANUARY(p) 1,446 1,132 31 283 AVG. RSE(%) 3 3 9 9 Not seasonally adjusted 1994 1,457.0 1,198.4 14.8 20.2 223.5 1995(1) 1,350.5 1,073.2 14.3 19.5 243.5 AVG. RSE(%) 1 1 10 5 1 1995 - January 84.5 63.6 0.8 1.5 18.7 February 81.6 65.3 1.4 1.0 13.8 March 103.8 85.3 1.4 1.8 15.3 April 116.9 93.9 1.1 1.1 20.8 May 130.5 102.3 1.3 1.8 25.0 June 123.4 100.5 1.6 1.9 19.4 July 129.1 102.0 1.8 1.9 23.4 August 135.8 108.5 0.6 2.1 24.6 September 122.4 97.7 1.7 1.7 21.3 October(r) 126.2 101.5 0.8 1.6 22.2 November(r) 107.2 82.0 1.2 1.6 22.4 December(1) 89.2 70.6 0.5 1.5 16.6 1996 - JANUARY(p) 90.3 68.0 0.7 1.1 20.5 AVG. RSE(%) 3 3 14 11 9 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. (1) Although released for the first time, the December 1995 data include additional reports and corrections normally associated with the first revision. 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 Erica Filipek, Construction Starts Branch, telephone (301) 457-4703. NEW PRIVATELY OWNED HOUSING UNITS STARTED BY REGION: DECEMBER 1995 AND JANUARY 1996 North- Mid- Period Total east west South West Seasonally adjusted annual rate 1993(r) January 1,210 130 303 556 221 February 1,210 125 295 533 257 March 1,083 93 246 459 285 April 1,258 119 258 563 318 May 1,260 117 301 555 287 June 1,280 128 287 548 317 July 1,254 132 284 560 278 August 1,300 124 293 562 321 September 1,343 148 312 567 316 October 1,392 126 361 590 315 November 1,376 139 303 605 329 December 1,533 132 337 699 365 1994(r) January 1,277 95 261 554 367 February 1,333 131 269 601 332 March 1,531 131 360 658 382 April 1,491 158 363 622 348 May 1,507 135 334 696 342 June 1,401 141 310 618 332 July 1,431 133 340 585 373 August 1,454 148 310 679 317 September 1,483 133 328 653 369 October 1,437 125 310 648 354 November 1,504 169 361 637 337 December 1,505 134 330 694 347 1995(r) January 1,370 117 284 629 340 February 1,322 132 280 562 348 March 1,241 137 275 553 276 April 1,278 108 276 577 317 May 1,300 129 256 576 339 June 1,301 124 289 567 321 July 1,450 115 290 713 332 August 1,401 119 320 626 336 September 1,401 116 308 616 361 October 1,351 120 278 606 347 November 1,458 103 318 708 329 December(1) 1,385 90 296 656 343 1996 - JANUARY(p) 1,446 95 346 610 395 AVG. RSE(%) 3 7 6 4 6 Not seasonally adjusted 1994 1,457.0 138.2 328.9 639.1 350.8 1995(1) 1,350.5 117.4 289.2 612.9 331.0 AVG. RSE (%) 1 1 2 2 1 1995 - January 84.5 6.3 11.9 44.1 22.2 February 81.6 5.9 12.7 40.2 22.9 March 103.8 9.5 20.7 49.3 24.2 April 116.9 9.6 25.9 53.5 27.9 May 130.5 13.1 27.7 56.5 33.2 June 123.4 13.1 31.0 49.5 29.9 July 129.1 10.6 26.6 61.9 30.0 August 135.8 12.0 33.7 56.7 33.4 September 122.4 10.4 28.6 51.7 31.7 October(r) 126.2 12.1 29.6 53.6 30.9 November(r) 107.2 8.6 24.7 51.6 22.3 December(1) 89.2 6.3 16.2 44.3 22.4 1996 - JANUARY(p) 90.3 5.0 14.8 43.1 27.4 AVG. RSE (%) 3 7 6 4 6 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. (1) Although released for the first time, the December 1995 data include additional reports and corrections normally associated with the first revision. 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 Erica FIlipek, Construction Starts Branch, telephone (301) 457-4703. PRIVATELY OWNED HOUSING UNITS AUTHORIZED BY BUILDING PERMITS IN PERMIT-ISSUING PLACES BY TYPE OF STRUCTURE: DECEMBER 1995 AND JANUARY 1996 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) 1995 - January 1,293 990 66 237 February 1,282 931 54 297 March 1,235 911 67 257 April 1,243 905 61 277 May 1,243 930 63 250 June 1,275 958 65 252 July 1,355 1,011 61 283 August 1,368 1,044 63 261 September 1,405 1,073 72 260 October 1,384 1,051 68 265 November(r) 1,448 1,069 73 306 December(1) 1,478 1,110 64 304 1996 - JANUARY(p) 1,373 1,045 69 259 AVG. RSE(%) 1 1 3 1 Not seasonally adjusted (19,000 permit-issuing places) 1994 1,371.6 1,068.5 31.4 30.8 241.0 1995(1) 1,333.0 999.1 33.3 32.0 268.6 AVG. RSE(%) (Z) (Z) 2 3 1 1995 - January 79.1 58.9 1.9 2.1 16.2 February 81.3 60.3 2.0 1.4 17.6 March 113.4 86.0 3.1 3.0 21.3 April 110.2 83.2 2.8 2.5 21.6 May 122.7 95.4 3.4 2.7 21.3 June 129.3 97.5 3.3 3.3 25.1 July 116.4 88.5 2.3 2.4 23.2 August 132.3 101.0 3.2 3.0 25.1 September 121.6 89.5 3.0 3.1 26.0 October 121.1 90.3 3.2 3.3 24.2 November(r) 107.2 77.8 3.0 3.0 23.5 December(1) 96.7 68.4 2.0 2.0 24.2 1996 - JANUARY(p) 87.5 65.2 2.3 2.1 18.0 AVG. RSE(%) 1 1 5 5 1 Not started at end of period - not seasonally adjusted (19,000 permit-issuing places) 1995 - January 113.4 65.8 3.5 44.0 October(r) 128.7 74.9 3.6 50.2 November(r) 135.2 79.7 4.0 51.5 December(1) 144.4 82.2 4.6 57.6 1996 - JANUARY(p) 139.1 80.5 5.7 52.8 AVG. RSE(%) 3 4 9 6 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) Although released for the first time, the December 1995 data include additional reports and corrections normally associated with the first revision. 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 Erica Filipek, Construction Starts Branch, telephone (301) 457-4703. PRIVATELY OWNED HOUSING UNITS AUTHORIZED BY BUILDING PERMITS IN PERMIT-ISSUING PLACES BY REGION: DECEMBER 1995 AND JANUARY 1996 North- Mid- Period Total east west South West Seasonally adjusted annual rate (19,000 permit-issuing places) 1995 - January 1,293 128 285 578 302 February 1,282 115 280 547 340 March 1,235 125 275 564 271 April 1,243 128 269 540 306 May 1,243 115 266 539 323 June 1,275 114 280 556 325 July 1,355 113 297 601 344 August 1,368 118 304 601 345 September 1,405 124 299 631 351 October 1,384 122 310 629 323 November(r) 1,448 122 318 641 367 December(1) 1,478 129 306 646 397 1996 - JANUARY(p) 1,373 104 312 587 370 AVG. RSE(%) 1 2 1 1 1 Not seasonally adjusted (19,000 permit-issuing places) 1994 1,371.6 138.5 305.2 585.5 342.4 1995(1) 1,333.0 123.0 291.9 587.0 331.1 AVG. RSE(%) (Z) 1 1 1 1 1995 - January 79.1 6.5 12.3 41.5 18.8 February 81.3 5.5 13.7 39.4 22.7 March 113.4 10.2 24.1 53.9 25.2 April 110.2 11.3 24.9 47.2 26.8 May 122.7 12.0 29.5 50.6 30.6 June 129.3 12.1 29.3 53.4 34.5 July 116.4 10.5 27.0 49.2 29.8 August 132.3 11.9 31.3 56.0 33.0 September 121.6 10.8 27.5 54.2 29.1 October 121.1 11.7 30.6 51.7 27.1 November(r) 107.2 10.2 24.3 46.4 26.3 December(1) 96.7 7.9 17.3 43.6 27.8 1996 - JANUARY(p) 87.5 5.4 14.3 44.1 23.7 AVG. RSE(%) 1 2 1 1 1 Not started at end of period - not seasonally adjusted (19,000 permit-issuing places) 1995 - January 113.4 16.5 13.0 58.7 25.2 October(r) 128.7 15.8 18.2 71.8 23.0 November(r) 135.2 17.3 18.8 71.4 27.6 December(1) 144.4 18.5 19.2 73.2 33.5 1996 - JANUARY(p) 139.1 18.5 18.1 72.3 30.1 AVG. RSE(%) 3 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) Although released for the first time, the December 1995 data include additional reports and corrections normally associated with the first revision. 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 Erica Filipek, Construction Starts Branch, telephone (301) 457-4703.