NAHB's October 16, 2026 analysis reports 620,558 single-family housing units authorized by permits in January–August 2026, down 2.6% from the same period of 2025. Multifamily authorizations totaled 347,629 units, up 5.1%.
These are cumulative, unadjusted housing-unit counts. Each apartment counts as a unit; a building's number of units matters to the total. Census definitions also include qualifying attached homes and townhouses in the single-family category.
Read the pipeline by stage
A permit records local approval to proceed with construction. Starts and completions measure later stages. For a rental owner, the useful next step is to check which nearby projects are actually progressing toward availability.
- Track stages: Separate authorized projects, homes under construction and completed units in your local competition notes.
- Match property types: Review the projects most comparable to your home's size, layout and intended rental use.
- Check timing: Confirm current project status and advertised availability before changing a leasing schedule or budget.
Sources: NAHB analysis published October 16, 2026; data period: January–August 2026 versus January–August 2025. https://eyeonhousing.org/2026/10/single-family-permitting-declines-through-august/
Census Building Permits Survey state data: https://www.census.gov/construction/bps/statemonthly.html
Census definitions: https://www.census.gov/construction/bps/definitions.html
