The pace of Colorado Springs-area homebuilding is off to a slow start in 2019.
In January, the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department issued 159 permits for the construction of single-family homes in the Springs and El Paso County, according to a report released by the agency Monday. Last month's building permit total was down 46.1% on a year-over-year basis and was the fewest for any January since 2015, Regional Building records show.
Still, the Housing & Building Association of Colorado Springs has said it expects single-family permits to total about 3,600 this year and that anything above 3,000 will be a good year.
In 2018, local single-family building permits totaled 3,856, the most for any year since 2005. Homebuilding industry officials have credited a strong local economy, more jobs and higher consumer confidence for helping to drive the demand for new homes.
The Colorado Springs homebuilding industry is a big part of the area's economy and so is closely watched by economists, business people and government officials.
Builders and their subcontractors employs thousands of framers, plumbers, electricians and the like, while sales tax revenues collected on building material purchases funnel millions to Colorado Springs and other local governments, who use that money to help pay for basic services.
