WASHINGTON — The U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced the following new residential construction statistics for March 2014. Privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in March were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 990,000. This is 2.4% below the revised February rate of 1,014,000, but is 11.2% above the March 2013 estimate of 890,000. Housing starts in March were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 946,000. This is 2.8% above the revised February estimate of 920,000, but is 8.4% below the March 2013 rate of 1,005,000. Housing completions in March were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 872,000. This is 0.2% below the revised February estimate of 874,000, but is 7.7% above the March 2013 rate of 810,000.
