The U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced the following new residential construction statistics for September 2008:
 
Building Permits
Privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in September were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 786,000. This is 8.3 percent below the revised August rate of 857,000 and is 38.4 percent below the revised September 2007 estimate of 1,277,000.
 
Single-family authorizations in September were at a rate of 532,000; this is 3.8 percent below the August figure of 553,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 225,000 in September.
 
Housing Starts
Privately-owned housing starts in September were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 817,000. This is 6.3 percent below the revised August estimate of 872,000 and is 31.1 percent below the revised September 2007 rate of 1,185,000. Single-family housing starts in September were at a rate of 544,000; this is 12.0 percent below the August figure of 618,000. The September rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 254,000.
 
Completions
Privately-owned housing completions in September were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,097,000. This is 11.7 percent above the revised August estimate of 982,000, but is 20.4 percent below the revised September 2007 rate of 1,378,000.
 
Single-family housing completions in September were at a rate of 806,000; this is 17.0 percent above the August figure of 689,000. The September rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 260,000.