CLIPBOARD : Multifamily Home Futures

Despite a 31% decline from the previous month, enough building permits for multifamily homes were issued in November to keep 1990’s county total running ahead of the 11-month 1989 figure.

November (the most recent month for which information is available) saw 475 multifamily permits issued. That was the fourth lowest total for the year but left the annual number 11% ahead of 1989. Still, the 1990 figure was far less than the January-November totals for 1986-88.

In the individual cities, 11 had increases above the comparable 1989 levels, 12 had fewer permits issued and five continued to keep these types of structures out completely. Tustin and Irvine had the largest jumps; Anaheim, Mission Viejo and Fullerton had the biggest reductions.

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

Jan.-Nov. Jan.-Nov. 1989-’90 City 1989 1990 Difference Tustin 149 1,444 +1,295 Irvine 273 1,187 +914 Orange 80 391 +311 Garden Grove 192 335 +143 Unincorporated areas 3,508 3,636 +128 Cypress 20 80 +60 Costa Mesa 48 98 +50 Brea 22 57 +35 Dana Point * 36 69 +33 Westminster 42 72 +30 Los Alamitos 14 19 +5 Laguna Beach 2 3 +1 Fountain Valley 0 0 No change La Palma 0 0 No change Seal Beach 0 0 No change Villa Park 0 0 No change Yorba Linda 0 0 No change San Juan Capistrano 4 0 -4 Placentia 47 40 -7 Stanton 22 14 -8 La Habra 20 6 -14 Buena Park 179 82 -97 San Clemente 157 26 -131 Newport Beach 206 61 -145 Huntington Beach 267 108 -159 Santa Ana 196 35 -161 Fullerton 388 107 -281 Mission Viejo 361 0 -361 Anaheim 1,258 403 -855 Laguna Niguel ** -- 28 -- COUNTY TOTAL 7,491 8,301 +810

*New city for 1989 tabulations; 1989 data for period prior to June is included in “unincorporated areas” total.

**New city for 1990 tabulations; 1990 data for period before July is included in “unincorporated areas” total.

Source: Construction Industry Research Board