HOUSING STARTS AND BUILDING PERMITS IN MARCH 1996 PRIVATELY OWNED HOUSING STARTS Privately owned housing starts in March were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,447,000, according to estimates reported today by the U.S. Commerce Department's Bureau of the Census. This is 4 (+/-7) percent below the revised February rate of 1,505,000, but 17 (+/-8) percent above the March 1995 rate of 1,241,000. Single-family housing starts in March 1996 were at a rate of 1,159,000; this is 1 (+/-7) percent below the February figure of 1,175,000. The March rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 266,000. The March rate for units in buildings with two to four units was 22,000. During the first 3 months of this year, 302,900 housing units were started compared with 269,900 units for the same period in 1995. This is an increase of 12 (+/-4) percent. BUILDING PERMITS The seasonally adjusted annual rate of housing units authorized by building permits in March was 1,412,000; this is virtually unchanged (+/-1 percent) from the revised February rate of 1,411,000, but is 14 (+/-2) percent above the March 1995 estimate of 1,235,000. Single-family authorizations in March 1996 were at a rate of 1,096,000; this is 1 (+/-1) percent above the February figure of 1,082,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 255,000 in March. The March rate of permit-authorized units in buildings with two to four units was 61,000. During the first 3 months of this year, 301,800 housing units were authorized by building permits compared with 273,900 units for the same period in 1995. This is an increase of 10 (+/-1) percent. MOBILE HOME SHIPMENTS Statistics on mobile home shipments, which lag by 1 month, appear in the Current Construction Reports, series C20. In February, manufacturers' shipments of mobile homes were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 341,000, 3 percent below the January figure of 352,000. The February 1995 rate was 325,000. Before seasonal adjustment, total shipments in February 1996 were 27,200. The next press release is scheduled to be issued on Thursday, May 16, 1996, 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 4 months to establish an underlying trend for total starts, 3 months for building permit authorizations, and 2 months for mobile home shipments. 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, 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 Manufacturing and Construction Division, Construction Starts Branch, telephone (301)457-4703. NEW PRIVATELY OWNED HOUSING UNITS STARTED BY TYPE OF STRUCTURE: MARCH 1996 In structures with - 3 and 4 5 units Period Total 1 unit 2 units units or more Seasonally adjusted annual rate 1995 - 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 1,425 1,150 29 246 1996 - January(r) 1,453 1,146 20 287 February(r) 1,505 1,175 31 299 MARCH(p) 1,447 1,159 22 266 AVG. RSE(%) 3 3 9 9 Not seasonally adjusted 1994 1,457.0 1,198.4 14.8 20.2 223.5 1995 1,354.1 1,076.2 14.3 19.4 244.1 AVG. RSE(%) 1 1 10 5 1 1995 First 3 months 269.9 214.1 3.6 4.3 47.8 1996 First 3 months 302.9 239.7 2.1 2.8 58.3 AVG. RSE(%) 2 2 10 14 4 1995 - 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 126.2 101.5 0.8 1.6 22.2 November 107.2 82.0 1.2 1.6 22.4 December 92.8 73.7 0.5 1.3 17.2 1996 - January(r) 90.7 68.9 0.3 0.8 20.6 February(r) 95.5 74.0 0.9 1.1 19.5 MARCH(p) 116.8 96.8 0.9 0.9 18.1 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. 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 Manufacturing and Construction Division, Construction Starts Branch, telephone (301)457-4703. NEW PRIVATELY OWNED HOUSING UNITS STARTED BY REGION: MARCH 1996 North- Mid- Period Total east west South West Seasonally adjusted annual rate 1995 - 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 1,425 93 305 679 348 1996 - January(r) 1,453 99 333 625 396 February(r) 1,505 127 311 651 416 MARCH(p) 1,447 140 322 636 349 AVG. RSE(%) 3 7 6 4 6 Not seasonally adjusted 1994 1,457.0 138.2 328.9 639.1 350.8 1995 1,354.1 117.7 290.1 615.0 331.3 AVG. RSE (%) 1 1 2 2 1 1995 First 3 months 269.9 21.7 45.3 133.6 69.3 1996 First 3 months 302.9 21.1 51.7 146.0 84.2 AVG. RSE (%) 2 5 3 3 2 1995 - 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 126.2 12.1 29.6 53.6 30.9 November 107.2 8.6 24.7 51.6 22.3 December 92.8 6.5 17.1 46.3 22.8 1996 - January(r) 90.7 5.0 14.7 43.8 27.2 February(r) 95.5 6.1 13.4 47.1 28.9 MARCH(p) 116.8 10.0 23.6 55.1 28.0 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. 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 Manufacturing and Construction Division, Construction Starts Branch, telephone (301)457-4703. PRIVATELY OWNED HOUSING UNITS AUTHORIZED BY BUILDING PERMITS IN PERMIT-ISSUING PLACES BY TYPE OF STRUCTURE: MARCH 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 - 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 1,448 1,069 73 306 December 1,478 1,110 64 304 1996 - January 1,372 1,050 65 257 February(r) 1,411 1,082 58 271 MARCH(p) 1,412 1,096 61 255 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 1,333.0 999.1 33.3 32.0 268.6 AVG. RSE(%) (Z) (Z) 2 3 1 1995 First 3 months 273.9 205.2 7.0 6.6 55.0 1996 First 3 months 301.8 234.6 6.8 6.1 54.3 AVG. RSE(%) 1 1 4 4 2 1995 - 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 107.2 77.8 3.0 3.0 23.5 December 96.7 68.4 2.0 2.0 24.2 1996 - January 87.3 65.5 2.1 1.9 17.8 February(r) 94.9 73.6 2.1 1.8 17.4 MARCH(p) 119.8 95.5 2.6 2.5 19.1 AVG. RSE(%) 1 1 5 5 1 Not started at end of period - not seasonally adjusted (19,000 permit-issuing places) 1995 - March 127.7 72.9 4.3 50.4 1996 - January(r) 137.9 79.7 4.9 53.4 February(r) 138.2 82.7 5.0 50.6 MARCH(p) 148.4 90.9 6.6 50.9 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. 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 Manufacturing and Construction Division, Construction Starts Branch, telephone (301)457-4703. PRIVATELY OWNED HOUSING UNITS AUTHORIZED BY BUILDING PERMITS IN PERMIT-ISSUING PLACES BY REGION: MARCH 1996 North- Mid- Period Total east west South West Seasonally adjusted annual rate (19,000 permit-issuing places) 1995 - 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 1,448 122 318 641 367 December 1,478 129 306 646 397 1996 - January 1,372 107 308 588 369 February(r) 1,411 115 322 598 376 MARCH(p) 1,412 142 328 573 369 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 1,333.0 123.0 291.9 587.0 331.1 AVG. RSE(%) (Z) 1 1 1 1 1995 First 3 months 273.9 22.8 50.3 134.4 66.3 1996 First 3 months 301.8 22.3 57.5 140.8 81.3 AVG. RSE(%) 1 3 1 1 1 1995 - 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 107.2 10.2 24.3 46.4 26.3 December 96.7 7.9 17.3 43.6 27.8 1996 - January 87.3 5.5 14.0 44.2 23.5 February(r) 94.9 6.0 16.8 46.0 26.1 MARCH(p) 119.8 10.9 26.7 50.7 31.5 AVG. RSE(%) 1 2 1 1 1 Not started at end of period - not seasonally adjusted (19,000 permit-issuing places) 1995 - March 127.7 16.8 17.6 67.3 26.0 1996 - January(r) 137.9 18.6 17.5 72.3 29.7 February(r) 138.2 16.6 20.9 73.1 27.6 MARCH(p) 148.4 17.7 24.3 74.7 31.7 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. 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 Manufacturing and Construction Division, Construction Starts Branch, telephone (301)457-4703.