HOUSING STARTS AND BUILDING PERMITS IN APRIL 1997 PRIVATELY OWNED HOUSING STARTS Privately owned housing starts in April were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,473,000, according to estimates reported today by the U.S. Commerce Department's Bureau of the Census. This is 3 (+/-6) percent above the revised March rate of 1,435,000 and 3 (+/-5) percent below the April 1996 rate of 1,522,000. Single-family housing starts in April 1997 were at a rate of 1,118,000; this is virtually unchanged (+/-6 percent) from the March figure of 1,115,000. The April rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 314,000. The April rate for units in buildings with two to four units was 41,000. During the first 4 months of this year, 433,700 housing units were started compared with 449,200 units for the same period in 1996. This is a decrease of 3 (+/-2) percent. BUILDING PERMITS Note: Seasonally adjusted statistics for building permits, January 1995 through March 1997, and unadjusted statistics for January through December 1996 have been revised. The seasonally adjusted annual rate of housing units authorized by building permits in April was 1,446,000; this is 1 (+/-1) percent below the revised March rate of 1,457,000 and 3 (+/-2) percent below the revised April 1996 estimate of 1,486,000. Single-family authorizations in April 1997 were at a rate of 1,064,000; this is 3 (+/-1) percent above the March figure of 1,034,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 312,000 in April; this is 11 percent below the March rate of 352,000. The April rate of permit-authorized units in buildings with two to four units was 70,000. During the first 4 months of this year, 440,700 housing units were authorized by building permits compared with 444,800 units for the same period in 1996. 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 March, manufacturers' shipments of mobile homes were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 353,000, 1 percent below the February figure of 355,000. The March 1996 rate was 368,000. Before seasonal adjustment, total shipments in March 1997 were 28,800. The next press release is scheduled to be issued on Tuesday, June 17, 1997, 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 April 1997 Current Construction Reports, C20/97-4 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 the Manufacturing and Construction Division, Residential Construction Branch, telephone (301)457-4703. NEW PRIVATELY OWNED HOUSING UNITS STARTED BY TYPE OF STRUCTURE: APRIL 1997 In structures with - 3 and 4 5 units Period Total 1 unit 2 units units or more Seasonally adjusted annual rate 1996 - April 1,522 1,215 55 252 May 1,476 1,142 48 286 June 1,488 1,214 46 228 July 1,492 1,164 44 284 August 1,515 1,222 37 256 September 1,470 1,148 45 277 October 1,407 1,104 58 245 November 1,486 1,133 60 293 December 1,353 1,024 48 281 1997 - January 1,375 1,125 43 207 February(r) 1,554 1,237 44 273 March(r) 1,435 1,115 40 280 APRIL(p) 1,473 1,118 41 314 AVG. RSE(%) 3 2 12 11 Not seasonally adjusted 1995 1,354.1 1,076.2 14.3 19.4 244.1 1996 1,476.8 1,160.9 16.4 28.8 270.8 AVG. RSE(%) 1 1 7 8 2 1996 First 4 months 449.2 357.9 4.2 6.4 80.7 1997 First 4 months 433.7 342.4 4.5 7.1 79.7 AVG. RSE(%) 1 1 11 6 4 1996 - April 146.6 117.9 2.0 3.4 23.3 May 143.9 111.6 1.6 3.0 27.7 June 138.0 115.0 1.6 3.3 18.2 July 137.5 109.1 1.2 3.1 24.2 August 144.2 115.6 1.2 2.0 25.4 September 128.7 99.3 1.9 1.9 25.6 October 130.8 101.0 2.1 2.9 24.8 November 111.5 82.6 1.6 4.3 23.0 December 93.1 68.8 1.1 1.9 21.3 1997 - January 82.2 66.6 0.6 1.5 13.5 February(r) 94.7 75.1 1.4 1.1 17.1 March(r) 115.5 92.8 0.9 2.1 19.6 APRIL(p) 141.3 107.9 1.5 2.5 29.4 AVG. RSE(%) 3 2 10 19 11 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: $21.00. Questions regarding these data may be directed to the Manufacturing and Construction Division, Residential Construction Branch, telephone (301)457-4703. NEW PRIVATELY OWNED HOUSING UNITS STARTED BY REGION: APRIL 1997 North- Mid- Period Total east west South West Seasonally adjusted annual rate 1996 - April 1,522 138 325 665 394 May 1,476 128 322 680 346 June 1,488 126 300 686 376 July 1,492 129 355 670 338 August 1,515 131 337 671 376 September 1,470 140 309 682 339 October 1,407 138 287 617 365 November 1,486 128 330 672 356 December 1,353 139 300 641 273 1997 - January 1,375 182 260 589 344 February(r) 1,554 135 386 671 362 March(r) 1,435 148 290 628 369 APRIL(p) 1,473 137 292 699 345 AVG. RSE(%) 3 6 7 5 5 Not seasonally adjusted 1995 1,354.1 117.7 290.1 615.0 331.3 1996 1,476.8 132.1 321.5 661.9 361.4 AVG. RSE (%) 1 1 2 2 1 1996 First 4 months 449.2 34.2 84.3 209.6 121.0 1997 First 4 months 433.7 38.4 76.8 207.7 110.7 AVG. RSE (%) 1 3 3 2 1 1996 - April 146.6 13.1 31.8 64.3 37.3 May 143.9 12.6 33.6 65.2 32.5 June 138.0 13.4 30.9 58.6 35.1 July 137.5 12.3 34.9 59.2 31.1 August 144.2 12.9 35.3 59.2 36.7 September 128.7 13.0 28.6 57.6 29.5 October 130.8 13.9 29.8 54.0 33.0 November 111.5 10.1 26.6 51.0 23.9 December 93.1 9.7 17.4 47.4 18.6 1997 - January 82.2 8.5 10.5 39.8 23.3 February(r) 94.7 6.2 16.3 47.4 24.8 March(r) 115.5 10.9 21.5 52.5 30.6 APRIL(p) 141.3 12.8 28.4 68.1 32.0 AVG. RSE (%) 3 6 7 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 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: $21.00. Questions regarding these data may be directed to the Manufacturing and Construction Division, Residential Construction Branch, telephone (301)457-4703. PRIVATELY OWNED HOUSING UNITS AUTHORIZED BY BUILDING PERMITS IN PERMIT-ISSUING PLACES BY TYPE OF STRUCTURE: APRIL 1997 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(r) January 1,282 967 66 249 February 1,254 916 52 286 March 1,226 914 64 248 April 1,259 925 60 274 May 1,271 958 61 252 June 1,305 982 64 259 July 1,354 1,019 61 274 August 1,386 1,045 63 278 September 1,421 1,079 68 274 October 1,400 1,052 65 283 November 1,430 1,060 70 300 December 1,442 1,091 62 289 1996(r) January 1,385 1,047 64 274 February 1,425 1,083 60 282 March 1,438 1,119 60 259 April 1,486 1,128 74 284 May 1,457 1,101 64 292 June 1,432 1,094 64 274 July 1,454 1,077 67 310 August 1,405 1,061 62 282 September 1,391 1,029 70 292 October 1,349 1,003 68 278 November 1,391 1,016 65 310 December 1,405 999 65 341 1997 - January(r) 1,395 1,052 62 281 February(r) 1,438 1,069 68 301 March(r) 1,457 1,034 71 352 APRIL(p) 1,446 1,064 70 312 AVG. RSE(%) 1 1 3 2 Not seasonally adjusted (19,000 permit-issuing places) 1995 1,332.5 997.3 32.2 31.5 271.5 1996 1,425.6 1,069.5 33.6 32.2 290.3 AVG. RSE(%) (X) (X) (X) (X) (X) 1996 First 4 months 444.8 345.9 10.5 9.3 79.1 1997 First 4 months 440.7 329.2 10.8 9.8 91.0 AVG. RSE(%) 1 2 4 3 2 Not seasonally adjusted (19,000 permit-issuing places) 1996(r) January 88.3 66.0 2.0 1.8 18.5 February 96.0 74.4 2.2 1.9 17.6 March 120.4 95.7 2.6 2.3 19.8 April 140.1 109.9 3.7 3.2 23.2 May 140.5 109.2 3.1 3.0 25.1 June 131.4 100.7 2.9 3.1 24.7 July 135.1 101.8 2.9 2.8 27.5 August 129.1 97.6 3.0 2.5 26.0 September 121.1 85.9 3.0 3.1 29.1 October 123.7 90.8 3.3 3.7 25.9 November 100.7 71.5 2.7 2.6 23.9 December 99.2 66.0 2.2 2.0 29.1 1997 - January 88.9 66.0 2.0 1.7 19.2 February 92.8 70.2 2.3 2.0 18.3 March(r) 120.1 88.5 3.0 2.8 25.8 APRIL(p) 137.3 104.2 3.4 3.3 26.3 AVG. RSE(%) 1 1 4 5 2 Not started at end of period - not seasonally adjusted (19,000 permit-issuing places) 1996 - April 144.8 87.4 5.6 51.8 1997 - February(r) 128.1 69.1 3.7 55.3 March(r) 136.2 72.3 4.9 58.9 APRIL(p) 131.7 73.5 4.8 53.4 AVG. RSE(%) 4 3 10 7 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: $21.00. Questions regarding these data may be directed to the Manufacturing and Construction Division, Residential Construction Branch, telephone (301)457-4703. PRIVATELY OWNED HOUSING UNITS AUTHORIZED BY BUILDING PERMITS IN PERMIT-ISSUING PLACES BY REGION: APRIL 1997 North- Mid- Period Total east west South West Seasonally adjusted annual rate (19,000 permit-issuing places) 1995(r) January 1,282 139 285 567 291 February 1,254 112 274 536 332 March 1,226 128 274 558 266 April 1,259 129 278 539 313 May 1,271 121 278 546 326 June 1,305 119 295 565 326 July 1,354 117 303 598 336 August 1,386 121 310 600 355 September 1,421 128 315 638 340 October 1,400 128 322 634 316 November 1,430 126 314 622 368 December 1,442 129 300 618 395 1996(r) January 1,385 98 320 596 371 February 1,425 118 325 612 370 March 1,438 143 333 597 365 April 1,486 146 346 644 350 May 1,457 137 313 662 345 June 1,432 136 314 636 346 July 1,454 136 337 624 357 August 1,405 145 310 623 327 September 1,391 140 305 598 348 October 1,349 138 294 584 333 November 1,391 135 304 628 324 December 1,405 145 303 636 321 1997 - January(r) 1,395 146 299 600 350 February(r) 1,438 164 312 610 352 March(r) 1,457 153 307 652 345 APRIL(p) 1,446 131 315 654 346 AVG. RSE(%) 1 1 2 1 1 Not seasonally adjusted (19,000 permit-issuing places) 1995 1,332.5 124.2 296.6 583.2 328.5 1996 1,425.6 136.9 317.8 623.4 347.4 AVG. RSE(%) (X) (X) (X) (X) (X) 1996 First 4 months 444.8 36.4 91.9 202.7 113.8 1997 First 4 months 440.7 42.2 84.8 206.4 107.3 AVG. RSE(%) 1 2 1 1 1 1996(r) January 88.3 5.5 14.3 44.0 24.5 February 96.0 6.1 17.1 46.4 26.4 March 120.4 10.8 26.6 52.0 31.1 April 140.1 14.0 33.9 60.3 31.9 May 140.5 14.2 32.8 61.8 31.8 June 131.4 13.1 29.4 55.6 33.4 July 135.1 13.4 33.1 54.7 33.8 August 129.1 14.0 30.3 55.4 29.4 September 121.1 12.2 27.8 51.4 29.8 October 123.7 13.4 30.8 49.6 29.9 November 100.7 10.8 23.1 44.9 21.9 December 99.2 9.4 18.7 47.4 23.6 1997 - January 88.9 8.2 13.4 44.1 23.1 February 92.8 8.1 15.9 44.5 24.3 March(r) 120.1 11.3 24.1 55.9 28.8 APRIL(p) 137.3 12.6 31.2 62.0 31.5 AVG. RSE(%) 1 1 2 1 1 Not started at end of period - not seasonally adjusted (19,000 permit-issuing places) 1996 - April 144.8 17.4 26.3 74.1 27.1 1997 - February(r) 128.1 16.0 16.3 70.3 25.6 March(r) 136.2 16.2 19.4 76.2 24.4 APRIL(p) 131.7 15.2 22.4 70.8 23.4 AVG. RSE(%) 4 8 10 6 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: $21.00. Questions regarding these data may be directed to the Manufacturing and Construction Division, Residential Construction Branch, telephone (301)457-4703.