Fall always signals the end of the construction for Twin Cities home builders, but the building season is winding down unusually fast this year. During September there was a six percent decline in permits to build single-family houses, but apartment construction increased slightly, according to a monthly report from the Builders Association of the Twin Cities.
During the month 388 permits were issued to build 903 units, including houses and apartments. That was a 11 percent decline in total permits and a 14 percent increase in new units.
Apartments and other multifamily housing represented 58 percent of total construction activity during the month. More than 530 units were permitted, a 34 percent increase over last year. Because a single permit can be issued to build more than one unit, volatility in apartment permits from month to month isn't unusual.
Markets across the country are seeing a healthy increase in home building, but here in the Twin Cities, residential construction has been slow and steady. In a statement, BATC president Chris Contreras, attributed the slowdown to new building codes that make some new houses more expensive.
"We are happy to see Twin Cities residential construction holding steady, but we remain disappointed as the number of permits pulled continues to miss our expectations," he said. "As we hear more and more news of the major residential construction gains across the country, we grow more concerned that our state's regulatory burden is making housing affordability a challenge."
Here are the top cities for permitted units:
- Edina: 258
- Monticello: 141
- Minneapolis: 126
- Lakeville: 31
- Blaine: 30
