Housing Permits Surge in October

Privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in October were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 653,000, 10.9 percent above the revised September rate of 589,000 and 17.7 percent above the October 2010 estimate of 555,000, according to the U.S. Census Department. Single-family authorizations in October were at a rate of 434,000, 5.1 percent above the revised September figure of 413,000.

Privately-owned housing starts in October were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 628,000, 0.3 percent below the revised September estimate of 630,000, but 16.5 percent above the October 2010 rate of 539,000. Single-family housing starts in October were at a rate of 430,000, 3.9 percent above the revised September figure of 414,000. The October rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 183,000.

New Privately Owned Housing Units Started

(Thousands of units, seasonally adjusted annual rate)

Period Total 1 Unit 5 Units or more Northeast Midwest South West October, 2010 539 434 93 82 95 265 97 May, 2011 553 416 131 56 99 264 134 June, 2011 615 449 160 68 126 288 133 July, 2011 615 430 176 85 90 306 134 August, 2011₂ 585 425 153 57 86 301 141 September, 2011₂ 630 414 211 58 93 321 158 October, 2011₁ 628 430 183 68 102 326 132

1-Preliminary; 2-Revised; Note: Detail may not add to total because of rounding.
Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census