US Housing Construction Starts Jump 4.6 Percent in May: Census

Policymakers should focus on lowering housing costs by removing burdensome regulations and easing permitting roadblocks, said one real estate expert.

Builders work on a new home in Old Bethpage, N.Y., on Sept. 3, 2024. Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

The number of houses that began construction rose in June from the previous month, driven by strong growth in the multifamily segment, the Census Bureau said in a July 18 statement.

Privately owned housing starts in June were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,321,000 units, a 4.6 percent jump from May. On an annual basis, housing starts were down 0.5 percent.