CLIPBOARD : Single-Family Home Futures

Permits for the future construction of single-family homes issued in July, the most recent month for which information is available, hit the lowest total in five years. The 171 permits also made 1990’s seven-month total, 2,416, the lowest in five years. That is, for example, 53% less than 1989’s comparable figure and 68% less than 1988.

A look at individual cities shows major declines compared to last year in Mission Viejo, Orange and Anaheim as well as the county’s unincorporated areas. And no city registered a gain of more than 64 permits over last year’s total.

Here are the city-by-city differences:

Jan.-July Jan.-July 1989-’90 City 1989 1990 Change Mission Viejo 919 45 -874 Unincorporated areas 2,153 1,280 -873 Orange 352 50 -302 Anaheim 367 104 -263 Yorba Linda 339 147 -192 Buena Park 125 5 -120 San Clemente 193 88 -105 San Juan Capistrano 148 56 -92 Fullerton 87 12 -75 Huntington Beach 135 62 -73 La Habra 87 25 -62 Fountain Valley 34 5 -29 Irvine 43 30 -13 Villa Park 18 7 -11 Westminster 2 0 -2 Los Alamitos 0 0 No change Seal Beach 12 12 No change Stanton 1 4 +3 Santa Ana 45 50 +5 Garden Grove 4 10 +6 Laguna Beach 37 44 +7 Cypress 1 15 +14 Placentia 0 18 +18 La Palma 0 19 +19 Newport Beach 49 74 +25 Brea 4 36 +32 Costa Mesa 16 68 +52 Tustin 0 64 +64 Dana Point 7* 86 -- Laguna Niguel N/A N/A -- COUNTY TOTAL 5,178 2,416 2,762

* Because Dana Point was a new city in 1989, figure is for only June and July. Before to June, Dana Point was included in the “unincorporated areas” total.

SEVEN-MONTH TREND 1990: 2,416 1989: 5,178 1988: 7,490 1987: 5,990 1986: 5,262 Source: Construction Industry Research Board