Year-over-Year, Permits Up 3.1%, Completions Fall 16.8%
[ST. PAUL, MINN.] The pace of permits for new housing increased 5 percent in July, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Building Permit Survey data released this morning. In July, the number of units permitted was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.443 million units, with single-family permits up 2.5% month over month. Year over year, single-family permits are down 1.1%.
“Housing starts are down sharply from both last month and last year, underscoring the need for a stronger policy response,” said Nick Erickson, executive director of Housing Affordability Institute. “America cannot build its way out of the housing shortage without reforming zoning, speeding up approvals and reducing regulatory costs that make new housing harder to produce.”
In late June, Housing Affordability Institute published its annual United States of Housing report, which highlighted America’s declining housing production.
ACTIVITY: JUNE 2026
Building Permits: Building permits for privately owned housing reached a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,443,000 units in July. That was 5.0 percent higher than the revised June rate of 1,374,000 and 3.1 percent higher than the July 2025 rate of 1,400,000. Single-family permits rose to an annual rate of 894,000, up 2.5 percent from the revised June rate of 872,000. Permits for units in buildings with five or more units were at an annual rate of 490,000.
Housing Starts: Privately owned housing starts fell to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,239,000 units in July. That was 12.4 percent below the revised June rate of 1,415,000 and 13.5 percent below the July 2025 rate of 1,432,000. Single-family starts declined to an annual rate of 808,000, down 9.9 percent from the revised June rate of 897,000. Starts for units in buildings with five or more units were at an annual rate of 421,000.
Housing Completions: Privately owned housing completions declined to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,212,000 units in July. That was 9.1 percent below the revised June rate of 1,333,000 and 16.8 percent below the July 2025 rate of 1,456,000. Single-family completions fell to an annual rate of 878,000, down 5.8 percent from the revised June rate of 932,000. Completions for units in buildings with five or more units were at an annual rate of 329,000.
Source: United States Census Bureau’s Building Permit Survey
ABOUT HOUSING AFFORDABILITY INSTITUTE
Founded in 2018, Housing Affordability Institute is a 501c(3) think tank seeking to increase housing affordability and access while advancing homeownership opportunities for all. Housing Affordability Institute produces research, white papers and commentary on homeownership and the cost drivers behind our nation’s housing affordability challenges. Learn more at HousingAffordabilityInstitute.org.
