HOUSING STARTS AND BUILDING PERMITS IN AUGUST 1997 PRIVATELY OWNED HOUSING STARTS Privately owned housing starts in August were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,363,000, according to estimates reported today by the U.S. Commerce Department's Bureau of the Census. This is 5 (+/- 5) percent below the revised July rate of 1,432,000 and 10 (+/-5) percent below the August 1996 rate of 1,515,000. Single-family housing starts in August 1997 were at a rate of 1,072,000; this is 5 (+/-5) percent below the July figure of 1,128,000. The August rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 253,000. The August rate for units in buildings with two to four units was 38,000. During the first 8 months of this year, 972,500 housing units were started compared with 1,012,700 units for the same period in 1996. This is a decrease of 4 (+/-1) percent. BUILDING PERMITS The seasonally adjusted annual rate of housing units authorized by building permits in August was 1,391,000; this is 2 (+/-1) percent below the revised July rate of 1,414,000 and 1 (+/-1) percent below the August 1996 estimate of 1,405,000. Single-family authorizations in August 1997 were at a rate of 1,027,000; this is virtually unchanged (+/-1 percent) from the July figure of 1,030,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 295,000 in August. The August rate of permit-authorized units in buildings with two to four units was 69,000. During the first 8 months of this year, 960,800 housing units were authorized by building permits compared with 980,900 units for the same period in 1996. This is a decrease of 2 (+/-1) percent. MOBILE HOME SHIPMENTS Statistics on mobile home shipments, which lag by 1 month, appear in the Current Construction Reports, series C20. In July, manufacturers' shipments of mobile homes were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 358,000, 1 percent above the June figure of 356,000. The July 1996 rate was 366,000. Before seasonal adjustment, total shipments in July 1997 were 28,900. The next press release is scheduled to be issued on Friday, October 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, 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 the Manufacturing and Construction Division, Residential Construction Branch, telephone (301)457-4703. NEW PRIVATELY OWNED HOUSING UNITS STARTED BY TYPE OF STRUCTURE: AUGUST 1997 In structures with - 3 and 4 5 units Period Total 1 unit 2 units units or more Seasonally adjusted annual rate 1996 - 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 1,554 1,237 44 273 March 1,479 1,142 45 292 April 1,483 1,133 40 310 May 1,402 1,098 34 270 June(r) 1,503 1,134 37 332 July(r) 1,432 1,128 35 269 AUGUST(p) 1,363 1,072 38 253 AVG. RSE(%) 2 2 8 9 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 8 months 1,012.7 809.1 9.8 17.8 176.1 1997 First 8 months 972.5 766.1 10.1 15.5 180.8 AVG. RSE(%) 1 1 9 6 3 1996 - 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 94.7 75.1 1.4 1.1 17.1 March 120.4 96.1 0.9 2.6 20.7 April 142.3 109.5 1.8 2.2 28.9 May 136.3 106.2 1.2 1.9 27.0 June(r) 140.4 108.8 1.4 2.6 27.5 July(r) 131.5 105.6 1.8 1.4 22.7 AUGUST(p) 124.8 98.2 1.1 2.2 23.4 AVG. RSE(%) 2 2 12 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: $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: AUGUST 1997 North- Mid- Period Total east west South West Seasonally adjusted annual rate 1996 - 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 1,554 135 386 671 362 March 1,479 150 301 653 375 April 1,483 136 292 707 348 May 1,402 120 301 617 364 June(r) 1,503 114 307 715 367 July(r) 1,432 146 286 661 339 AUGUST(p) 1,363 118 276 643 326 AVG. RSE(%) 2 7 6 4 4 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 8 months 1,012.7 85.4 219.0 451.9 256.4 1997 First 8 months 972.5 87.9 197.6 445.2 241.8 AVG. RSE (%) 1 1 2 2 1 1996 - 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 94.7 6.2 16.3 47.4 24.8 March 120.4 11.1 22.3 55.5 31.4 April 142.3 13.1 28.4 68.6 32.2 May 136.3 11.7 31.5 58.8 34.4 June(r) 140.4 11.6 31.9 62.3 34.5 July(r) 131.5 14.4 28.6 57.7 30.8 AUGUST(p) 124.8 11.2 28.0 55.2 30.3 AVG. RSE (%) 2 7 6 4 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: $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: AUGUST 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) 1996 - 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 1,395 1,052 62 281 February 1,438 1,069 68 301 March 1,457 1,034 71 352 April 1,442 1,060 68 314 May 1,432 1,053 66 313 June 1,402 1,049 70 283 July(r) 1,414 1,030 77 307 AUGUST(p) 1,391 1,027 69 295 AVG. RSE(%) 1 1 4 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 8 months 980.9 755.3 22.5 20.8 182.4 1997 First 8 months 960.8 718.6 23.0 22.9 196.3 AVG. RSE(%) 1 1 2 3 1 1996 - 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 120.1 88.5 3.0 2.8 25.8 April 137.0 103.8 3.3 3.3 26.6 May 131.8 100.5 2.9 3.0 25.3 June 131.6 99.6 3.3 3.5 25.2 July(r) 132.5 98.2 3.3 3.5 27.5 AUGUST(p) 123.5 90.7 2.7 3.1 27.0 AVG. RSE(%) 1 1 4 5 2 Not started at end of period - not seasonally adjusted (19,000 permit-issuing places) 1996 - August 130.7 77.0 3.7 50.0 1997 - June(r) 122.7 71.8 3.5 47.4 July(r) 124.9 72.3 4.6 48.1 AUGUST(p) 121.5 68.3 4.3 48.9 AVG. RSE(%) 3 3 10 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: $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: AUGUST 1997 North- Mid- Period Total east west South West Seasonally adjusted annual rate (19,000 permit-issuing places) 1996 - 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 1,395 146 299 600 350 February 1,438 164 312 610 352 March 1,457 153 307 652 345 April 1,442 127 316 651 348 May 1,432 129 298 632 373 June 1,402 135 296 641 330 July(r) 1,414 133 276 656 349 AUGUST(p) 1,391 127 282 611 371 AVG. RSE(%) 1 2 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 8 months 980.9 91.1 217.4 430.2 242.2 1997 First 8 months 960.8 94.5 196.5 429.6 240.3 AVG. RSE(%) 1 2 1 1 1 1996 - 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 120.1 11.3 24.1 55.9 28.8 April 137.0 12.4 31.4 61.5 31.7 May 131.8 12.6 29.3 56.6 33.2 June 131.6 13.6 28.2 57.4 32.3 July(r) 132.5 13.3 27.2 58.2 33.7 AUGUST(p) 123.5 11.8 26.8 52.3 32.6 AVG. RSE(%) 1 2 2 1 1 Not started at end of period - not seasonally adjusted (19,000 permit-issuing places) 1996 - August 130.7 16.4 19.8 71.1 23.4 1997 - June(r) 122.7 16.3 17.7 68.5 20.1 July(r) 124.9 15.3 17.4 69.1 23.1 AUGUST(p) 121.5 15.6 15.2 65.6 25.1 AVG. RSE(%) 3 8 6 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 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.