by Calculated Risk on 2/19/2014 08:30:00 AM

From the Census Bureau: Permits, Starts and Completions

Housing Starts:
Privately-owned housing starts in January were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 880,000. This is 16.0 percent below the revised December estimate of 1,048,000 and is 2.0 percent below the January 2013 rate of 898,000.

Single-family housing starts in January were at a rate of 573,000; this is 15.9 percent below the revised December figure of 681,000. The January rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 300,000.
emphasis added

Building Permits:
Privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in January were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 937,000. This is 5.4 percent below the revised December rate of 991,000, but is 2.4 percent above the January 2013 estimate of 915,000.

Single-family authorizations in January were at a rate of 602,000; this is 1.3 percent below the revised December figure of 610,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 309,000 in January.

Click on graph for larger image.

The first graph shows single and multi-family housing starts for the last several years.

Multi-family starts (red, 2+ units) decreased in January (Multi-family is volatile month-to-month).

Single-family starts (blue) also decreased in January.

The second graph shows total and single unit starts since 1968.

 The second graph shows the huge collapse following the housing bubble, and that housing starts have been increasing after moving sideways for about two years and a half years.

This was below expectations of 950 thousand starts in January.  Note: Starts for December were revised up to 1.048 million from 999 thousand.    I'll have more later.