Housing starts were up 3.6% in June, compared to May estimates, according to the latest figures from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The rate of 582,000 is 46% below June 2008 figures.
Single-family housing starts were 470,000, up 14.4% from May.
Housing units authorized by building permits were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 563,000, 8.7% above the May rate but down 52% from the June 2008 estimate. Single-family authorizations were at a rate of 430,000, 5.9% above May. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 109,000.
Privately-owned housing completions in June were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 818,000, 0.4% below the revised May estimate and 27.7% below the June 2008 rate. Single-family housing completions were at a rate of 538,000, 8.9% above May. The June rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 271,000.
Year-to-date, privately owned housing starts were down 47.9% from the 2008 mid-year rate, with significant declines in all geographic regions. Housing completions were down 30.4%.
