CLIPBOARD : Home Building Valuations

The value of new housing permits issued in Orange County is headed the same was as the absolute number of such permits issued--both are far less than last year. In the first nine months of this year, the value of new permits, $1.17 billion, was 29% lower than last year’s comparable number. It is 37% below the 1988 figure. In fact, the total for this year’s January-September period is the lowest of any of the last five years.

However, not all parts of the county have been effected equally. Some cities have seen huge percentage increases from last year. Seven cities had increases of more than 100%, led by the 802% jump in Cypress. The 137% decline in Placentia was the largest decline.

Here’s how the cities stack up, listed from the largest decrease to the largest increase in the value of permits issued:

City Jan.-Sept.1989 Jan.-Sept.1990 Percentage Change Placentia 2,361 5,591 -137 Mission Viejo 187,136 9,666 -95 La Habra 19,775 5,279 -73 Buena Park 30,026 9,101 -70 Anaheim 182,797 57,623 -68 San Clemente 81,320 32,006 -61 Fullerton 40,132 18,606 -54 Yorba Linda 109,723 57,295 -48 Fountain Valley 11,215 6,276 -44 Huntington Beach 56,110 33,808 -40 Orange 65,482 42,115 -36 Unincorporated areas 608,862 434,542 -29 Santa Ana 34,414 30,000 -13 San Juan Capistrano 33,258 29,328 -12 Villa Park 7,557 7,020 -7 Seal Beach 10,144 10,695 +5 Newport Beach 48,461 55,777 +15 Laguna Beach 20,651 25,493 +23 Garden Grove 14,866 18,547 +25 Stanton 1,520 2,043 +34 Westminster 7,920 10,848 +37 Costa Mesa 15,613 22,739 +46 Los Alamitos 1,805 4,863 +169 La Palma 1,700 5,030 +196 Irvine 23,812 78,086 +228 Dana Point * 8,769 34,593 +294 Brea 2,312 9,992 +332 Tustin 16,077 74,501 +365 Cypress 4,259 38,410 +802 Laguna Niguel** N/A 2,659 -- COUNTY TOTAL $1,648,077 $1,172,532 -29

* New city for 1989 tabulations; January-May 1989 data is included in “unincorporated areas” total. ** Only three months’ data (July-September) included in 1990 total. Prior to July Laguna Niguel was included in “unincorporated areas.” THE NINE-MONTH COMPARISON 1990: $1,172,532 1989: $1,648,077 1988: $1,871,857 1987: $1,575,576 1986: $1,274,005 Source: Construction Industry Research Board