New Residential Units
Date posted: 07/03/2008
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This measure examines the trend in the number of new privately-owned residential housing units authorized by building permits in Larimer County. The data represent the number of new housing units (including both single and multi family units) for which building permits were issued, not actual construction starts. The County issues permits for construction in the unincorporated areas; each community within the County issues its own building permits. For more information about permits, including links to community planning and building departments, see Additional Information below.
What this chart shows: New Residential Units in Larimer County, per 1,000 Population, 2003-2007
Data Source:
- United States Census Bureau Population Estimates - place cursor on 'Estimates Data' on menu bar at top of the page, then select desired geography.
- United States Census Bureau Building Permits (new residential housing units authorized by building permits)
What these data tell us:
The rate of approved new residential units per 1,000 people has decreased by 58% since 2003. The actual number of approved new dwellings decreased during that time as well, from 3,003 in 2003 to 1,341 in 2007. Between 2005 and 2006, the year-to-year decline in the rate of newly approved residential units was 23.8%. The rate continued to deteriorate between 2006 and 2007, declining by 41.3%.Contributing factors may include the foreclosure filing rate, which increased by 33.4% from 2005 to 2006 and by 25.9% from 2006 to 2007 (See Compass - Bankruptcy and Foreclosure). Also, from 2005 to 2006, the total dollar value of sales (i.e., sales volume) declined by 6.3% in Loveland/Berthoud area and by 26.0% in Fort Collins/Wellington area (See Compass - Residential Home Sales). Increases in foreclosure filings and decreases in total dollar value of sales may both be attributed to a weakening economy.
What this chart shows: Percentage of Total New Residential Units by Area - Larimer County, 2007
*Permits for Timnath are no longer tracked separately. They are tracked as part of the unincorporated area near Fort Collins.
Data Source:
- Larimer County Planning & Building Services Division- see Annual reports on this page.
What these data tell us:
In 2007, the majority of permits for new units were located in incorporated areas (i.e., cities and towns). Fort Collins issued the highest number of new residential unit permits during the year. The city has the largest population in the County, and the 2006 figure of 129,511 was more than twice the population of the second-most populous city, Loveland (Colorado Department of Local Affairs). However, Fort Collins' share of the total number of new residential units gradually declined from 43.7% in 2003 to 26.7% in 2006, before increasing to 41.1% in 2007. Loveland's percentage of approved new units remained relatively stable at 30% from 2003 to 2005, and then increased to 39.9% in 2006, before declining to 19.5% in 2007. Between 2003 and 2005, the share of Estes Park increased from 4% to 5.4%. From 2003 to 2007, the average percentage split between incorporated and unincorporated areas was 86% and 14% respectively.The local and national housing boom may have attributed to the increases in new residential units over the past few years. However, decreases in new residential units are expected in most areas due to increasing foreclosure filings and a weakening economy.
*Windsor and Berthoud figures are only for that portion of the Windsor and Berthoud town limits located within Larimer County. Figures do not reflect town areas in Weld County.
Data Source: Larimer County Planning & Building Services Division- see Annual reports on this page.
What these data tell us:
In the five-year period from 2003 to 2007, there was an overall decline in the rate of new dwelling units per 1,000 population for Estes Park, Fort Collins, Loveland and Wellington. Windsor, the smallest of the communities in terms of population, issued permits at an average rate of 111 units per 1,000 population, from 2003 through 2007. That rate was more than two times the rate in Windsor, six times Estes Park's rate, eight times Loveland's rate, about fifteen times Fort Collins' rate and more than seventeen times Berthoud's rate.* It can be further noted that the rate of newly approved residential units declined from 2005 to 2007 in all the cities/towns, similar to the overall trend in Larimer County.
There was a drop in the number of new multi-family housing units in Estes Park, Fort Collins, and Loveland during the same five year period. See the table below for details.
* Rate-per-1,000-population increases can be misleading when applied to smaller populations. In looking at Larimer County's smaller cities and towns, it must be noted that small increases in the number of new residential units may translate into large increases in the rate. While the rate may be higher, the actual number of units may be much smaller than the number of units built in a larger community.
What this chart shows: New Residential Units per 1,000 Population by Colorado's 10 Most Populous Counties, 2007
Data Source:
- United States Census Bureau Population Estimates - place cursor on 'Estimates Data' on menu bar at top of the page, then select desired geography.
- United States Census Bureau Building Permits (new residential housing units authorized by building permits)
What these data tell us:
Among the ten most populous Colorado counties, Larimer County had the sixth highest rate of new residential units per 1,000 population in 2007. The counties are listed (left to right) from highest population to lowest. In 2007, building permits were issued at a rate of 4.7 new residential units per 1,000 population in Larimer County, compared to a 6.1 rate for the state of Colorado and a 4.6 national rate. However, for these three regions, 2007 rates were substantially lower than the 2005 rates, recorded at 10.6, 9.8 and 7.3 for Larimer County, Colorado and the US respectively. These rate declines could be attributed to the real estate market correction of 2006-2007, as builders slowed their pace in response to large supply of for-sale housing.- Additional statistics on growth, such as the construction value of the permits, are available in annual reports from the Larimer County Planning & Building Services Division.
- A residential building permit is required to build a new dwelling and for some renovations and repairs. Residential building permits are also required for new construction including garages, agricultural buildings, additions, decks, swimming pools, and manufactured/mobile homes. Please see the County Building Department for a full list of projects that require a permit. Use the following links for permit information specific to each area:
- Berthoud Planning and Zoning Department
- Estes Park Building Department
- Fort Collins Building and Zoning Services
- Larimer County Building Department
- Longmont Building Department
- Loveland Building Division
- Timnath Planning Department
- Wellington Planning Department
- Windsor Planning and Zoning Department
- Growth Management Areas (GMA) - Local growth management processes ensure that communities operate within their resources, protect the environment and enhance the lives of their residents. This system requires close cooperation among the County, cities, towns, special districts and State and Federal agencies that are involved in land use and environmental protection within the County. For more information, see Larimer County's Master Plan and map.
On Compass -
- Affordable Rental Costs
- Household Types and Age of Residents
- Federally Subsidized Housing
- Home Ownership/Affordable Housing
- Homelessness
- Housing Occupancy - Ownership/Renting
- Housing Units
- Population Size & Growth
- Residential Home Sales
Outside Compass -
- City of Fort Collins - Affordable Housing Programs
- City of Loveland - Community Development Block Grant information
- Larimer County Building Department - Building Permit Guidebook
- National Association of Home Builders
- Housing America's Working Families - policy implications of housing
- Housing Facts, Figures, and Trends
- United States Census Bureau
Standards or Targets: N/A
Data Tables:
New Residential Units in Larimer County, 2003-2007
|
Year |
Permits |
Population |
Rate per 1,000 |
|
2003 |
3,003 |
268,958 |
11.2 |
|
2004 |
3,252 |
272,258 |
11.9 |
|
2005 |
2,887 |
276,033 |
10.5 |
|
2006 |
2,240 |
281,620 |
8.0 |
|
2007 |
1,341 |
287,574 |
4.7 |
Percentage of New Residential Units by Area in Larimer County, 1999 - 2007
|
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
|
|
Berthoud |
2.0% |
2.8% |
0.5% |
0.2% |
0.6% |
1.0% |
1.8% |
1.4% |
1.4% |
|
Estes Park, unincorp. |
1.9% |
1.8% |
1.5% |
2.0% |
1.2% |
1.7% |
2.0% |
2.8% |
4.3% |
|
Estes Park |
2.4% |
3.2% |
2.3% |
4.4% |
4.0% |
2.8% |
4.1% |
4.5% |
5.4% |
|
Loveland, unincorp. |
2.9% |
3.3% |
2.3% |
2.3% |
2.2% |
3.2% |
3.1% |
2.0% |
3.5% |
|
Loveland |
24.9% |
29.5% |
30.0% |
27.9% |
30.7% |
29.2% |
29.4% |
39.9% |
19.5% |
|
Southern Share |
34.1% |
40.6% |
36.6% |
36.8% |
38.7% |
37.9% |
40.4% |
50.6% |
34.1% |
|
Fort Collins, unincorp. |
7.9% |
8.9% |
8.4% |
6.7% |
5.3% |
5.5% |
6.2% |
5.7% |
7.3% |
|
Fort Collins |
48.4% |
42.0% |
44.5% |
45.2% |
43.7% |
37.8% |
33.2% |
26.7% |
41.1% |
|
Windsor |
2.9% |
4.0% |
3.6% |
5.2% |
4.3% |
7.8% |
8.3% |
7.9% |
8.3% |
|
Wellington |
3.4% |
1.4% |
4.1% |
2.9% |
4.7% |
8.1% |
9.3% |
6.1% |
4.6% |
|
Red Feather Lakes |
3.2% |
3.3% |
3.0% |
3.2% |
3.4% |
2.9% |
2.6% |
3.2% |
4.7% |
|
Northern Share |
65.8% |
59.6% |
63.6% |
63.2% |
61.4% |
62.1% |
59.6% |
49.6% |
66.0% |
|
Total Number of Units |
3,908 |
3,770 |
4,,268 |
3,415 |
3,236 |
3,433 |
2,964 |
2,193 |
1,446 |
New Residential Units per 1,000 population by Cities and Towns, 2000-2007
|
|
Number of Units |
|||||||
|
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
|
|
Berthoud |
104 |
21 |
8 |
20 |
34 |
53 |
30 |
20 |
|
Estes Park |
121 |
98 |
151 |
128 |
96 |
123 |
98 |
78 |
|
Fort Collins |
1,582 |
1,899 |
1,545 |
1,413 |
1,296 |
983 |
585 |
594 |
|
Loveland |
1,111 |
1,279 |
953 |
994 |
1,003 |
872 |
874 |
282 |
|
Wellington |
51 |
173 |
99 |
151 |
277 |
275 |
134 |
66 |
|
Windsor |
150 |
153 |
176 |
138 |
269 |
246 |
173 |
120 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Population |
|||||||
|
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
|
|
Berthoud |
4,823 |
5,081 |
5,021 |
4,932 |
4,912 |
4,901 |
5,000 |
5,073 |
|
Estes Park |
5,413 |
5,578 |
5,571 |
5,576 |
5,707 |
5,720 |
5,921 |
6,068 |
|
Fort Collins |
118,652 |
122,521 |
124,428 |
125,461 |
126,903 |
127,686 |
129,511 |
130,919 |
|
Loveland |
50,608 |
53,345 |
54,862 |
55,905 |
57,485 |
58,691 |
60,393 |
62,486 |
|
Wellington |
2,672 |
2,895 |
3,208 |
3,320 |
3,718 |
4,400 |
5,040 |
5,394 |
|
Windsor |
284 |
662 |
1,044 |
1,167 |
1,421 |
1,934 |
2,321 |
2,638 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rate per 1,000 Population |
|||||||
|
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
|
|
Berthoud |
21.6 |
4.1 |
1.6 |
4.1 |
6.9 |
10.8 |
6.0 |
3.9 |
|
Estes Park |
22.4 |
17.6 |
27.1 |
23.0 |
16.8 |
21.5 |
16.6 |
12.9 |
|
Fort Collins |
13.3 |
15.5 |
12.4 |
11.3 |
10.2 |
7.7 |
4.5 |
4.5 |
|
Loveland |
22.0 |
24.0 |
17.4 |
17.8 |
17.4 |
14.9 |
14.5 |
4.5 |
|
Wellington |
19.1 |
59.8 |
30.9 |
45.5 |
74.5 |
62.5 |
26.6 |
12.2 |
|
Windsor |
528.2 |
231.1 |
168.6 |
118.3 |
189.3 |
127.2 |
74.5 |
45.5 |
New Multiple-Family Units by Larimer County Cities and Towns*, 2000-2007
|
|
# of families |
Number of Units per Type of Building |
|||||||
|
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
||
|
Estes Park |
2 |
20 |
10 |
42 |
42 |
12 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
|
3-4 |
18 |
9 |
3 |
24 |
12 |
12 |
8 |
3 |
|
|
5+ |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
69 |
0 |
12 |
|
|
Fort Collins |
2 |
0 |
2 |
14 |
40 |
26 |
12 |
14 |
6 |
|
3-4 |
50 |
47 |
51 |
134 |
93 |
65 |
32 |
12 |
|
|
5+ |
547 |
686 |
245 |
250 |
283 |
303 |
209 |
185 |
|
|
Loveland |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
24 |
48 |
0 |
|
3-4 |
12 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
12 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
5+ |
149 |
257 |
151 |
222 |
94 |
118 |
380 |
0 |
|
|
Wellington** |
2 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
3-4 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
0 |
0 |
0 |
67 |
3 |
|
|
5+ |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
0 |
0 |
0 |
48 |
0 |
|
|
Larimer County (unincorporated) |
2 |
2 |
6 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
6 |
2 |
0 |
|
3-4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
5+ |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
*Berthoud had no multi-family building permits issued from 2000 through 2007.
**N/A refers to unavailable data
Source: United States Census Bureau, Building Permits
New Residential Units in the United States, Colorado, and Colorado's 10 Most Populous Counties, 2007
|
Permits |
Population |
Rate per 1,000 |
|
|
United States |
1,398,415 |
301,621,157 |
4.6 |
|
Colorado |
29,454 |
4,861,515 |
6.1 |
|
Denver |
3,682 |
588,349 |
6.3 |
|
El Paso |
3,084 |
587,272 |
5.3 |
|
Arapahoe |
3,881 |
545,089 |
7.1 |
|
Jefferson |
1,062 |
529,354 |
2.0 |
|
Adams |
1,809 |
422,495 |
4.3 |
|
Boulder |
635 |
290,262 |
2.2 |
|
Larimer* |
1,341 |
287,574 |
4.7 |
|
Douglas |
2,263 |
272,117 |
8.3 |
|
Weld |
1,847 |
243,750 |
7.6 |
|
Pueblo |
677 |
154,538 |
4.4 |
* Larimer County permit and population numbers do not match County reports because the Census Bureau does not split community counts among counties if the community's boundary covers more than one county; Click here to see which county the 'divided' communities were assigned. Search on 'Larimer County' or the town name - the state code should be '08', for Colorado.