MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING PERMITS

The 815 permits for multi-family housing issued in March was the largest monthly total this year, and an 84% increase over the previous month. However, the first-quarter total of 1,614 was 5.6% lower than 1988’s same period. Comparing this year to last, the major declines have taken place in San Clemente and Anaheim, the largest increases in the county’s unincorporated areas and in the city of Garden Grove.

Although 1989’s first-quarter permit number is just 5.6% below last year, it is easily the lowest for a comparable period during the last four years--58% below 1987’s first quarter and 61% below 1986. Here’s a city-by-city look at where the change has occurred since last year:

City Jan.-March Jan.-March Difference 1988 1989 San Clemente 340 30 -310 Anaheim 421 124 -297 Newport Beach 98 20 -78 Costa Mesa 76 7 -69 Irvine 106 47 -59 Los Alamitos 29 0 -29 Westminster 22 10 -12 Santa Ana 7 0 -7 La Habra 2 0 -2 Fountain Valley 0 0 N/C Laguna Beach 0 0 N/C La Palma 0 0 N/C Seal Beach 0 0 N/C Stanton 0 0 N/C Villa Park 0 0 N/C Yorba Linda 0 0 N/C Brea 5 6 +1 Cypress 0 4 +4 San Juan Capistrano 0 4 +4 Tustin 0 9 +9 Orange 0 14 +14 Buena Park 23 47 +24 Placentia 4 35 +31 Fullerton 30 65 +35 Huntington Beach 33 73 +40 Garden Grove 14 108 +94 Unincorporated areas 501 985 +484 Mission Viejo N/A 26 -- COUNTY TOTAL 1,711 1,614 -97

N/A Not available

N/C No change

FIRST-QUARTER COMPARISON 1989: 1,614 MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING PERMIT TREND March 89: 815 Source: Construction Industry Research Board