Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 17 A P R I L 1 5 , 2 0 1 9 F O C U S R E A L E S TAT E / C O N S T R U C T I O N / D E S I G N Commercial & Residential Flooring Solutions. PORTLAND SHOWROOM 50 ALLEN AVE., PORTLAND, ME 04103 (207) 797-4657 PAULWHITECOMPANY.COM Unum office remodel M aine's economy is relatively strong and there are pockets of construction activity. The number of housing units authorized has grown steadily since the recession. Yet, despite the relatively robust construction climate, the number of building permits falls well short of pre-recession numbers, not only in Maine but New England and nationally. In Maine, the number of housing units authorized hit an 18-year high in 2005, at 8,969. You'd have to go back to the go-go '80s, 1987, to top that number (there were 9,800 that year). Maine only has four years when the combined valuation of building permits topped $1 billion, from 2003–06, accord- ing to U.S. Census data. The chart below shows Maine's relative place in the New England housing industry, routinely outpacing Vermont, New Hampshire and Rhode Island, and neck-and-neck with Connecticut, but far behind Massachusetts. And probably preferring it that way. F O C U S S TA R T S O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » M S O U R C E : U.S. Census NEW PRIVATELY OWNED HOUSING UNITS AUTHORIZED (MASS. VS N.E.) NEW PRIVATELY OWNED HOUSING UNITS AUTHORIZED (CONNECTICUT, MAINE, NEW HAMPSHIRE, RHODE ISLAND AND VERMONT) 0 2K 4K 6K 8K 10K 12K Rhode Island Vermont New Hampshire Connecticut Maine 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 0 10K 20K 30K 40K 50K 60K Other New England states Massachusetts '18 '17 '16 '15 '14 '13 '12 '11 '10 '09 '08 '07 '06 '05 '04

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