The following is the unedited transcript of the news release from the U.S. Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce.


The U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced the following new residential construction statistics for April 2008:

BUILDING PERMITS

Privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in April were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 978,000. This is 4.9 percent (±1.2%) above the revised March rate of 932,000, but is 34.3 percent (±1.4%) below the revised April 2007 estimate of 1,489,000.

Single-family authorizations in April were at a rate of 646,000; this is 4.0 percent (±1.4%) above the March figure of 621,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 294,000 in April.

HOUSING STARTS

Privately-owned housing starts in April were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,032,000. This is 8.2 percent (±14.5%)* above the revised March estimate of 954,000, but is 30.6 percent (±6.7%) below the revised April 2007 rate of 1,487,000. Single-family housing starts in April were at a rate of 692,000; this is 1.7 percent (±11.7%)* below the March figure of 704,000. The April rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 326,000.

HOUSING COMPLETIONS

Privately-owned housing completions in April were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,000,000. This is 16.0 percent (±8.4%) below the revised March estimate of 1,190,000 and is 34.9 percent (±5.9%) below the revised April 2007 rate of 1,535,000. Single-family housing completions in April were at a rate of 792,000; this is 13.0 percent (±8.9%) below the March figure of 910,000. The April rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 181,000.


Available at:

http://www.census.gov/const/newresconst.pdf