Housing Starts Rose 11% in April

Washington, DC, May 17--The U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced the following new residential construction statistics for April 2005. Privately-owned housing starts in April were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 2,038,000. This is 11.0 percent (±9.7%) above the revised March estimate of 1,836,000 and is 3.6 percent (±7.2%) above the revised April 2004 rate of 1,968,000. Single-family housing starts in April 2005 were at a rate of 1,635,000; this is 6.3 percent (±8.9%) above the revised March figure of 1,538,000. The April rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 351,000. Privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in April were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 2,129,000. This is 5.3 percent (±0.9%) above the revised March rate of 2,021,000 and is 2.9 percent (±1.1%) above the revised April 2004 estimate of 2,069,000. Single-family authorizations in April were at a rate of 1,634,000; this is 5.3 percent (±0.9%) above the revised March figure of 1,552,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 410,000 in April. Privately-owned housing completions in April were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,890,000. This is 7.0 percent (±9.3%) above the revised March estimate of 1,766,000, but is 3.4 percent (±6.9%) below the revised April 2004 rate of 1,956,000. Single-family housing completions in April 2005 were at a rate of 1,606,000; this is 7.6 percent (±9.7%) above the revised March figure of 1,492,000. The April rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 254,000.