Comparing Housing Permits Around the Sun Belt

It might not come as a surprise, but the Sun Belt cities permitting fewer new single-family homes are the Sun Belt cities permitting fewer new homes.

1 minute read

May 19, 2016, 9:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Housing Construction

Tom Grundy / Shutterstock

Andrew Keatts reports: "Across the Sun Belt last year, metro areas built new housing at wildly different rates, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau."

At the center of the article is a chart comparing the number of new houses permitted in the past year by cities in the Sun Belt.

According to Keatts, "One thing that immediately jumps out is the extent to which California cities lag behind their Sun Belt peers." 

The article also shares another chart showing the share of single-family houses among the building permits for the past year in those same cities.

Keatts notes that the cities producing the lowest share of single-family homes are also the same cities "building the fewest new homes relative to their population in the entire Sun Belt."

Tuesday, May 17, 2016 in The Urban Edge

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Concrete Brutalism building with slanted walls and light visible through an atrium.

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities

How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

February 28, 2025 - Justin Hollander

Complete Street

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge

Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

February 27, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Skating rink under freeway in Bentway park in Toronto, Canada.

Montreal’s Gorilla Park Repurposes Defunct Railway Track

The park is part of a global movement to build public spaces that connect neighbors and work with local elements to serve as key parts of a city’s green infrastructure.

February 24, 2025 - The Globe and Mail

Bird's eye view of half full parking lot at night.

Safe Parking Programs Help People Access Housing

The safety and stability offered by Safe Parking sites have helped 40 percent of unhoused San Diego residents who accessed these programs get into permanent housing.

2 minutes ago - Maui Now

Wide apartment building staircase with curved wrought iron handrail.

Study: Single-Staircase Buildings Pose No Additional Risks

Zoning codes have long prohibited single-stair residential buildings due to safety concerns, but changing that could lower the cost of construction and allow for more flexible housing designs.

1 hour ago - CNU Public Square

Close-up of thin trunks of young trees in pots ready to be planted.

Forest Service Rescinds Tree Planting Grants

The $75 million program fell victim to the federal government’s purge of ‘DEI’-related projects.

2 hours ago - Fast Company

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.