HOUSING STARTS AND BUILDING PERMITS IN JULY 1996 PRIVATELY OWNED HOUSING STARTS Privately owned housing starts in July were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,455,000, according to estimates reported today by the U.S. Commerce Department's Bureau of the Census. This is 1 (+/-6) percent below the revised June rate of 1,474,000, but virtually unchanged (+/-6 percent) from the July 1995 rate of 1,450,000. Single-family housing starts in July 1996 were at a rate of 1,133,000; this is 6 (+/-5) percent below the June figure of 1,201,000. The July rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 288,000. The July rate for units in buildings with two to four units was 34,000. During the first 7 months of this year, 865,300 housing units were started compared with 769,700 units for the same period in 1995. This is an increase of 12 (+/-1) percent. BUILDING PERMITS The seasonally adjusted annual rate of housing units authorized by building permits in July was 1,452,000; this is 3 (+/-1) percent above the revised June rate of 1,415,000 and 7 (+/-2) percent above the July 1995 figure of 1,358,000. Single-family authorizations in July 1996 were at a rate of 1,070,000; this is 1 (+/-1) percent below the June figure of 1,085,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 313,000 in July; this is 17 percent above the June estimate of 268,000. The July rate of permit-authorized units in buildings with two to four units was 69,000. During the first 7 months of this year, 849,700 housing units were authorized by building permits compared with 747,400 units for the same period in 1995. This is an increase of 14 (+/-1) percent. MOBILE HOME SHIPMENTS Statistics on mobile home shipments, which lag by 1 month, appear in the Current Construction Reports, series C20. In June, manufacturers' shipments of mobile homes were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 372,000, 1 percent above the May figure of 369,000. The June 1995 rate was 333,000. Before seasonal adjustment, total shipments in June 1996 were 31,200. The next press release is scheduled to be issued on Thursday, September 19, 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 May 1996 Current Construction Reports, C20/96-5, 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: JULY 1996 In structures with - 3 and 4 5 units Period Total 1 unit 2 units units or more Seasonally adjusted annual rate 1995 - 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 1,453 1,146 20 287 February 1,514 1,183 33 298 March 1,439 1,163 25 251 April 1,511 1,209 53 249 May(r) 1,478 1,144 49 285 June(r) 1,474 1,201 42 231 JULY(p) 1,455 1,133 34 288 AVG. RSE(%) 3 3 9 10 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 7 months 769.7 612.8 9.4 11.0 136.5 1996 First 7 months 865.3 691.4 8.2 14.5 151.2 AVG. RSE(%) 1 1 8 6 2 1995 - 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 90.7 68.9 0.3 0.8 20.6 February 95.9 74.2 0.9 1.1 19.7 March 116.0 96.9 1.0 1.0 17.1 April 146.6 117.9 2.0 3.4 23.3 May(r) 143.9 111.6 1.6 3.0 27.7 June(r) 136.6 114.6 1.1 3.3 17.6 JULY(p) 135.7 107.3 1.3 1.8 25.3 AVG. RSE(%) 3 3 12 12 10 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: JULY 1996 North- Mid- Period Total east west South West Seasonally adjusted annual rate 1995 - 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 1,453 99 333 625 396 February 1,514 130 317 648 419 March 1,439 139 325 634 341 April 1,511 136 322 660 393 May(r) 1,478 129 324 678 347 June(r) 1,474 125 298 682 369 JULY(p) 1,455 128 349 654 324 AVG. RSE(%) 3 7 7 5 4 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 7 months 769.7 68.0 156.4 355.1 190.3 1996 First 7 months 865.3 72.3 183.0 391.7 218.3 AVG. RSE (%) 1 2 2 2 1 1995 - 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 90.7 5.0 14.7 43.8 27.2 February 95.9 6.1 13.8 46.9 29.0 March 116.0 10.0 24.0 54.5 27.4 April 146.6 13.1 31.8 64.3 37.3 May(r) 143.9 12.6 33.6 65.2 32.5 June(r) 136.6 13.1 30.5 58.4 34.5 JULY(p) 135.7 12.3 34.6 58.4 30.3 AVG. RSE (%) 3 7 7 5 4 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: JULY 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 - July 1,358 1,017 62 279 August 1,379 1,046 62 271 September 1,427 1,079 69 279 October 1,393 1,050 68 275 November 1,450 1,073 71 306 December 1,487 1,123 60 304 1996 - January 1,378 1,056 65 257 February 1,417 1,087 60 270 March 1,423 1,097 61 265 April 1,459 1,115 75 269 May 1,452 1,098 62 292 June(r) 1,415 1,085 62 268 JULY(p) 1,452 1,070 69 313 AVG. RSE(%) 1 1 4 2 Not seasonally adjusted (19,000 permit-issuing places) 1994 1,371.6 1,068.5 31.4 30.8 241.0 1995 1,332.5 997.3 32.2 31.5 271.5 AVG. RSE(%) (X) (X) (X) (X) (X) 1995 First 7 months 747.4 567.9 18.3 17.2 144.1 1996 First 7 months 849.7 655.9 19.4 18.2 156.2 AVG. RSE(%) 1 1 2 3 1 1995 - July 115.6 88.3 2.3 2.4 22.5 August 133.5 101.4 3.1 3.0 26.1 September 124.1 90.1 3.0 3.0 28.1 October 122.2 90.8 3.1 3.3 25.0 November 107.8 78.4 2.9 3.1 23.5 December 97.4 68.8 1.9 2.0 24.7 1996 - January 87.3 65.5 2.1 1.9 17.8 February 94.9 73.6 2.1 1.8 17.4 March 119.9 95.1 2.6 2.4 19.6 April 139.4 109.4 3.7 3.4 23.0 May 140.5 109.7 3.0 2.9 24.9 June(r) 130.6 100.7 2.9 3.0 24.0 JULY(p) 135.0 101.1 2.9 2.9 28.1 AVG. RSE(%) 1 1 5 5 2 Not started at end of period - not seasonally adjusted (19,000 permit-issuing places) 1995 - July 129.9 73.0 4.5 52.3 1996 - May(r) 146.5 91.0 4.8 50.7 June(r) 146.1 85.6 5.0 55.5 JULY(p) 148.0 86.5 5.0 56.4 AVG. RSE(%) 3 4 8 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: JULY 1996 North- Mid- Period Total east west South West Seasonally adjusted annual rate (19,000 permit-issuing places) 1995 - July 1,358 117 304 598 339 August 1,379 122 309 601 347 September 1,427 128 313 637 349 October 1,393 125 323 629 316 November 1,450 124 324 634 368 December 1,487 128 317 644 398 1996 - January 1,378 102 312 594 370 February 1,417 122 323 600 372 March 1,423 137 329 591 366 April 1,459 135 342 634 348 May 1,452 137 304 668 343 June(r) 1,415 134 302 634 345 JULY(p) 1,452 138 334 621 359 AVG. RSE(%) 1 2 2 1 1 Not seasonally adjusted (19,000 permit-issuing places) 1994 1,371.6 138.5 305.2 585.5 342.4 1995 1,332.5 124.2 296.6 583.2 328.5 AVG. RSE(%) (X) (X) (X) (X) (X) 1995 First 7 months 747.4 70.4 161.3 330.8 184.9 1996 First 7 months 849.7 76.6 185.3 374.3 213.5 AVG. RSE(%) 1 2 1 1 1 1995 - July 115.6 10.7 27.3 48.4 29.2 August 133.5 12.3 31.9 55.9 33.5 September 124.1 11.2 28.9 55.0 29.1 October 122.2 11.9 31.9 51.5 27.0 November 107.8 10.5 24.9 46.3 26.2 December 97.4 8.0 17.8 43.8 27.8 1996 - January 87.3 5.5 14.0 44.2 23.5 February 94.9 6.0 16.8 46.0 26.1 March 119.9 10.5 26.4 51.6 31.3 April 139.4 12.9 34.0 60.3 32.2 May 140.5 14.3 32.2 62.1 31.9 June(r) 130.6 13.1 28.7 55.0 33.8 JULY(p) 135.0 13.6 33.1 54.2 34.0 AVG. RSE(%) 1 2 2 1 1 Not started at end of period - not seasonally adjusted (19,000 permit-issuing places) 1995 - July 129.9 16.4 19.8 65.2 28.5 1996 - May(r) 146.5 18.6 26.9 74.9 26.1 June(r) 146.1 18.9 25.6 74.7 26.9 JULY(p) 148.0 19.3 25.3 73.4 29.9 AVG. RSE(%) 3 7 8 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.