by Calculated Risk on 11/24/2013 10:06:00 AM

The Census Bureau has delayed the release of housing starts again. They will release permit data for September and October this week (on Tuesday), but housing start data for September and October will be released on December 18th.

From the Census Bureau: Census Bureau to Postpone Release of Some New Residential Construction Information

Due to the recent lapse in federal funding, the U.S. Census Bureau today announced revisions to the release date for the September and October New Residential Construction indicator's housing starts and housing completions statistics. Originally scheduled for release on October 17 and November 19 respectively, these dates had been previously revised to November 26, 2013.

The Census Bureau's monthly New Residential Construction indicator includes statistics on building permits, housing starts and housing completions. On November 26 at 8:30 a.m., the Census Bureau will release estimates of housing units authorized by building permits in September and October. However, the release of new housing unit starts and housing unit completions will now be released on December 18, 2013.

The lapse in federal funding affected the data collection schedule for the Survey of Construction, which is the source of data on new housing unit starts and housing unit completions. Accurate data collection for September and October could not be completed in time for the November 26 release. As a result, the December 18 release will include data on housing units started and completed in September, October and November 2013.