Analyzing newly released data from the American Community Survey, Jed Kolko finds reason to believe that construction of singly-family housing is outpacing demand.
"Newly released data from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) show that the vacancy rate for single-family homes actually ticked up a bit in 2013," reports Jed Kolko. "That’s a big surprise. It suggests even today’s low level of single-family construction might still be too much, too soon."
To make that argument, Kolko breaks down the data on changes in households and housing between 2012 and 2013, finding low rates of household formation, and "[low] household formation means less demand for new construction," writes Kolko.
Kolko then goes on to break down the vacancy data, finding that multi-family vacancies are down while single-family vacancies are up—leading Kolko to conclude that the building industry is focused on the wrong housing type.
FULL STORY: Are We Building Too Many Single-Family Homes?

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.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

HSR Reaches Key Settlement in Northern California City
The state’s high-speed rail authority reached an agreement with Millbrae, a key city on the train’s proposed route to San Francisco.

Washington State Legislature Passes Parking Reform Bill
A bill that would limit parking requirements for new developments is headed to the governor’s desk.

Missouri Law Would Ban Protections for Housing Voucher Users
A state law seeks to overturn source-of-income discrimination bans passed by several Missouri cities.
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