CLIPBOARD : Housing Spending In Decline

Marching in step with the decline in home building around the county is the decline in the number of dollars being spent. Through the first half of the year, the value of residential building permits (including those for alterations and additions) was 29% below last year’s mark.

This year’s total marks the continuation of a trend that has seen these permit values decline for each of the last three years. While the amount for the first six months of 1991 is 29% less than 1990, it is 45% and 56% lower than the comparable figures for 1989 and 1988, respectively.

The overall downward trend, however, masks some rather marked differences within the county. Spending in 18 cities and the unincorporated areas is down compared to last year. But 10 other cities have increases, most notably the nearly 400% jump in Cypress.

Here’s how the cities compare, listed from the largest decrease to the largest increase:

Jan.-June Jan.-June 1990-’91 City 1991 * 1990 * % Change La Palma 406 4,765 -91 Brea 1,063 8,969 -88 Stanton 203 1,627 -88 Dana Point 7,301 31,381 -77 Orange 11,165 37,786 -70 Irvine 16,278 53,063 -69 Santa Ana 6,282 16,927 -63 Garden Grove 5,802 13,932 -58 Westminster 3,180 7,590 -58 Unincorporated areas 164,005 382,220 -57 Villa Park 2,052 4,177 -51 Newport Beach 16,821 31,844 -47 San Clemente 14,109 26,040 -46 Fullerton 7,313 11,941 -39 La Habra 2,221 3,335 -33 Placentia 2,613 3,730 -30 Fountain Valley 2,875 3,829 -25 Yorba Linda 32,894 41,380 -21 Laguna Beach 14,902 16,138 -8 Huntington Beach 20,499 18,517 +11 Seal Beach 7,276 6,278 +16 Buena Park 8,659 7,036 +23 Tustin 40,448 32,114 +26 Costa Mesa 20,453 15,740 +30 San Juan Capistrano 29,184 21,528 +36 Los Alamitos 2,081 1,452 +43 Mission Viejo 12,117 8,405 +44 Anaheim 84,141 44,213 +90 Cypress 40,287 8,087 +398 Laguna Niguel 37,952 N/A -- COUNTY TOTAL $614,600 $864,044 -29

* Amounts listed in thousands of dollars

Source: Construction Industry Research Board