United States single-family housing starts fell in January despite an increase in overall housing construction, as winter weather and furniture tariffs weighed on building activity.
Single-family starts dropped 2.8% to 935,000 during the month, per the U.S. Census Bureau. However, total privately-owned housing starts rose 7.2% to 1,487,000, supported by 29.1% growth among properties with at least five units.
Building permits also dropped in January. “Privately-owned housing units authorised by building permits in January were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,376,000,” according to the Census Bureau.
“This is 5.4 percent below the revised December rate of 1,455,000 and is 5.8 percent below the January 2025 rate of 1,460,000.”
Permits for single-family units fell 0.9%, while permits for properties with more than 5 units were down 13.4%.
The West posted the largest decline in building permits, dropping 15.7%. The Midwest was the only region to report an increase, at 9%.
Single-family housing completions in January fell 1% to 970,000. This is despite 4.8% growth in total housing completions amid a 16.2% surge in properties with at least five units.
The slump in single-family housing construction came amid Winter Storm Fern in late January.
The U.S. also imposed 25% tariffs on furniture products like upholstered furniture and kitchen cabinets last year. These tariffs remain in effect, unlike the duties imposed under a different statute that were ruled unlawful by the Supreme Court in February.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan housing affordability package today, which would cut regulatory barriers to expedite housing construction. The House of Representatives passed a similar bill in February.
