Los Angeles led the U.S. in building permit value.

The value of building permits in Los Angeles during the first six months of 1985 rose to $1.8 billion, almost 10% higher than the year-earlier level, according to a study by Dun & Bradstreet. Permit values nationwide rose 5.3% to nearly $27 billion during the same six-month period. The only other U.S. cities with permit values exceeding $1 billion in the first half of last year were New York ($1.22 billion), Dallas ($1.15 billion) and San Diego ($1.14 billion), the study reported.