Housing starts rose 1.7 percent in December, the Commerce Department reported Jan. 21. The total number of starts for the year was 1.846 million, 8.4 percent above 2002's total, and the highest number of housing starts in 25 years.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)

Land Use Law Report, January, 2004

HOUSING STARTS ROSE 1.7 percent in December, the Commerce Department reported Jan. 21. The total number of starts for the year was 1.846 million, 8.4 percent above 2002's total, and the highest number of housing starts in 25 years. On Jan. 28, the Commerce Department reported new-home sales for 2003 were 1.085 million units, the third consecutive annual record.

The number of sales recorded in December was down 5.5 percent from November. The Northeast and the Midwest had decreased members of starts in December, while the South and West posted increases. Building permits rose 3.3 percent over November. On the sales front, the Northeast showed a 12.2 percent gain and the Midwest was up 8.7 percent over November. Sales were down 8.1 percent in the South and 11.2...

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