Residential construction activity hummed at a higher level in January 2018 than any point in all of 2017, according to newly released federal data.
"Amid a general rise in residential construction activity last month, multifamily starts posted especially strong gains," reports Paul Bubny.
According to new data from the Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, "[a]partment starts were up 23.7% in January from the previous month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 449,000 units, while single-family starts were up 3.7%," adds Bubny. "Overall, housing starts rose 9.7% from December to an SAAR of 1.33 million units."
Bubny also notes that the numbers were even better for permitting: "Overall permit issuance rose 7.4% for the month to an SAAR of 1.4 million units, a post-recession high. Multifamily permits increased 26.5% to 530,000 while single-family permits slipped 1.7% to 866,000."
FULL STORY: January Brings Surge In Apartment Starts
Why Housing Costs More to Build in California Than in Texas
Hard costs like labor and materials combined with ‘soft’ costs such as permitting make building in the San Francisco Bay Area almost three times as costly as in Texas cities.
Institutional Investors Gaining a Larger Footprint in the Housing Market, Report Says
The locations with the fastest growing populations are seeing the most dramatic increase in investor-owned single-family housing rentals.
Get Ready, Suburbia: Apartments Are Coming
From high-rises to townhouses, the suburban multi-family market is growing fast.
Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.
Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation
California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.
Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.
From Throughway to Public Space: Taking Back the American Street
How the Covid-19 pandemic taught us new ways to reclaim city streets from cars.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service