New housing construction in Connecticut plummeted to a three-year low in April during what was the first full month of COVID-19-related shutdowns, new data shows.
There were 212 single- and multifamily permits issued last month in 104 towns and cities, down roughly 65.4% from 613 permits issued in April 2019, according to the state Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), citing U.S. Census Bureau data.Â
That represents a three-year low for housing permits issued in the month of April, and the lowest overall number of permits since Jan. 2019, when 197 permits were approved, data shows.
Prior to April’s report, new housing permits in Connecticut had increased year-over-year for eight consecutive months.
Among communities sampled in April, the most permits were issued in New Haven (44 permits issued), Danbury (13), Newton and Woodbury (12), and West Hartford (6).
For the year, there have been 1,368 housing permits issued, down 9.5% from 1,512 issued at this time in 2019. New Haven has had the largest number of permits issued with 381.
The housing permit report surfaced a week after the Greater Hartford Association of Realtors said that home and condo sales in the area slowed in April as prospective sellers were likely reluctant to list their homes as cases of COVID-19 mounted nationwide. The good news, however, is that median prices for homes and condos continue to rise across the Hartford area.
