Housing Starts Surged In March; Pace Is Fastest In 5 Years

By Mark Memmott

Published April 16, 2013 at 8:51 AM EDT

A home under construction in Provo, Utah, earlier this year.

There was a 7 percent surge in housing starts last month, the Census Bureau and Department of Housing and Urban Development report.

As The Associated Press notes, the pace of construction — 1.04 million starts, at an annual rate — is the fastest in nearly five years and is another sign that the housing sector continues to recover from its 2007-08 crash.

Also Tuesday morning, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said consumer prices fell 0.2 percent in March. The driving factor was a 4.4 percent plunge in gas prices.

Mark Memmott

Mark Memmott is NPR's supervising senior editor for Standards & Practices. In that role, he's a resource for NPR's journalists – helping them raise the right questions as they do their work and uphold the organization's standards.

See stories by Mark Memmott

WRVO is at a critical moment.

Recent cuts to federal funding are challenging our mission to serve central and upstate New York with trusted journalism, vital local coverage, and the diverse programming that informs and connects our communities. This is the moment to join our community of supporters and help keep journalists on the ground, asking hard questions that matter to our region.

Stand with public media and make your gift today—not just for yourself, but for all who depend on WRVO as a trusted resource and civic cornerstone in central and upstate New York.

Support WRVO now