Navigating HUD’s State of the Cities Data Systems Building Permits Database

Navigating HUD’s State of the Cities Data Systems Building Permits Database

Joseph Shinn, Regional Economist, Economic and Market Analysis Division, Office of Policy Development and Research

Data Overview

The Office of Policy Development and Research at HUD maintains the State of the Cities Data Systems (SOCDS) Building Permits Database. The database, which collects information on permits for residential construction at the state, county, core-based statistical area (CBSA), and permit-issuing jurisdiction level, is vital for facilitating analyses of housing supply trends in the United States. The data in SOCDS originate from the U.S. Census Bureau's (Census Bureau's) Building Permits Survey, which collects information monthly from nearly 20,000 local permitting jurisdictions. This survey is a key component of the Census Bureau's construction statistics program and offers detailed insights into single-family and multifamily housing permitting nationwide. Note that the data may include both estimates and reported figures depending on the methodology used. Users should consult the Census Bureau's methodology documentation to understand the survey design; data collection process; and any potential limitations of, or adjustments applied to, the data.

SOCDS generates reports for three distinct data types within the Building Permits Survey, each of which are tailored to different levels of detail and timing: monthly preliminary data, monthly final data, and annual data. Slightly fewer than half of the permitting jurisdictions are surveyed monthly, and the remainder of the jurisdictions are surveyed annually. Both monthly and annual data may include imputed values, which are estimated by the Census Bureau when actual jurisdiction permit activity is unavailable. Details on the three different types of permits are noted below:

• Monthly Preliminary Data
  • Released on the 17^th workday after the end of each month and provides a quick snapshot of the number of housing units authorized by permits during that month.
  • Data date back to January 2001 and are subject to revisions.
• Monthly Final Data
  • These data incorporate additional responses and updates from local permitting offices and provide a more reliable monthly count of authorized permits.
  • For any calendar year, the final monthly data are published in May of the following year; these data date back to January 1997.
• Annual Data
  • The annual data are most suitable for long-term analysis and offer the most complete and accurate view of the year’s housing trends.
  • Annual data are available from 1980 to the present.
  • Annual data for the previous year are released on the first workday of May.

The SOCDS Building Permit Database is structured as an interactive, user-friendly dashboard. Users can access the data either by using the Query Tool or by downloading the summary tables.

Query Tool

Data Selection

The SOCDS Query Tool allows users to select data by geographic area, survey type (monthly or annual), year, and permit type. Users also can choose to view the data for each geographic area separately or combine geographic areas (for example, generating a total for the selected counties). The following steps will allow the user to create a custom report of building permits in a selected area or areas (Figure 1).

• Step 1: From the Geography dropdown menu, select either States & Counties or CBSA.
• Step 2: Users who select the States & Counties option in step 1 must also select one or more states from the States dropdown menu.
• Step 3: The user optionally may choose to report data for counties (if States & Counties is selected in step 1) and/or jurisdictions (if States & Counties or CBSA is selected) through the Counties or Jurisdictions dropdown menus.
• Step 4: The user selects the desired level(s) of data aggregation (State Total, County Total, All County Jurisdictions, Sum of Selected Counties, CBSA Total, All CBSA Jurisdictions, or Sum All Selected Jurisdictions).
• Step 5: From the Periodicity dropdown menu, the user selects the Survey Type (Monthly Preliminary, Monthly Final, or Annual).
• Step 6: From the Years dropdown menu, the user selects the date range for the desired data.
• Step 7: From the Series dropdown menu, the user selects the desired residential permit type(s) (All Permits, Single-Family, All Multifamily, 2-Unit Multifamily, 3 & 4-unit Multifamily, or 5+-Unit Multifamily).
• Step 8: Select the Report button.

Figure 1. SOCDS Query Tool

Output Report

Selecting the Report button in the Query Tool will generate a report based on the selections. Users have three alternatives to view and interact with the report data.

Figure 2 shows the tabular display for reports. Users can easily scroll through the data or use browser features to search for specific entries. Selecting the CSV button downloads and exports the report as a .CSV file for offline use. Downloadable files are ideal for advanced data analysis. Finally, the Chart button generates a line chart of the selected data (Figure 3). Users can adjust the view of the chart by selecting different Group By options, and they can export the chart as a PNG image file.

Figure 2. Online View

Figure 3. Chart View

Summary Tables

In addition to generating specific reports using the Query Tool, users can also find and download summary building permit files by clicking on the Summary link in the upper-right corner of the Query Tool page (Figure 4). The data in these reports present high-level summaries of building permits for single-family and multifamily units. The data in these reports are displayed by period (such as current month, year to date, and comparisons with previous periods) and are broken down by state and CBSA/metropolitan statistical area (Figure 5).

Figure 4. Summary Link

Figure 5. Summary Table Tool

Additional Help

For additional guidance, please visit the Help page, which can be accessed through the Help link in the upper-right corner of the Query Tool page, next to the Summary link. The Help page also offers links to downloadable databases containing the building permit data for all geographies. These Microsoft Access files are ideal for high-volume data queries.