New housing starts rebounded in impressive fashion in 2012, with Connecticut municipalities issuing 4,140 permits for new single-family houses, condominiums and apartments last year after issuing just 2,837 permits in 2011.
The 46 percent year-to-year increase represents just the second annual increase in housing permits between 2004 and 2012, according to data released by the state Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) Jan. 28.
The data, which is collected every month by the U.S. Census Bureau and provided to state officials, represent a sampling of 128 of the state’s 169 towns and cities.
The volume of new permits issued was the highest since 2008, when municipalities issued 4,910 permits for new homes. The 4,140 permits issued in 2012 still represents a significant drop-off compared to the pre-recession years; in 2004 alone, more than 10,300 permits were issued in Connecticut.
