Multi-family permits surge 22.7% in April, Single-Family Permits Dip

Permits for new housing increased in April, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Building Permit Survey data released this morning. In April, the number of units permitted was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.442 million units, up 5.8 percent from March and slightly below April 2025’s rate of 1.445 million units. Multi-family housing lifted total permits, up 22.7% percent compared to March; single-family permits were down 2.6 percent.

“Along with yesterday’s passage of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, the uptick in permitting activity reported this morning is encouraging news for the housing market,” said Nick Erickson, executive director of Housing Affordability Institute. “Elevated interest rates continue to challenge affordability and slow single-family construction. Long-term affordability will require continued housing reform efforts at both the state and local levels to increase supply, modernize regulations, and create opportunities for more Americans to achieve homeownership.”

ACTIVITY: APRIL  2026

Building Permits

Building permits for privately owned housing units reached a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.442 million in April. That marked a 5.8 percent increase from the revised March total of 1.363 million, while remaining slightly below the 1.445 million pace recorded in April 2025. Single-family permits were issued at an annual rate of 872,000, down 2.6 percent from March’s revised figure of 895,000. Permits for multifamily buildings with five or more units totaled 514,000.

Housing Starts

Housing starts for privately owned units were reported at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.465 million in April. That was 2.8 percent lower than the revised March estimate of 1.507 million, but 4.6 percent higher than the April 2025 rate of 1.4 million. Single-family starts fell to an annual rate of 930,000, a 9 percent decline from the revised March level of 1.022 million. Multifamily starts in properties with five or more units totaled 529,000.

Housing Completions

Housing completions reached a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.449 million in April. This represented a 4.8 percent increase over the revised March estimate of 1.382 million, though it was 2 percent below the April 2025 pace of 1.479 million. Single-family completions were recorded at an annual rate of 903,000, down 1 percent from March’s revised figure of 912,000. Completions in multifamily buildings with at least five units totaled 529,000.

Source: United States Census Bureau’s Building Permit Survey