of new housing were issued permits in the Bay Area during 2024, according to data from the Construction Industry Research Board (CIRB)
of the units issued housing permits in the Bay Area during 2024 were multifamily units, CIRB data shows
of new housing were issued permits in the Bay Area during 1971, the most approved in a calendar year according to CIRB data dating back to 1967
Introduction
Where are construction permits being issued for new housing?
The number of housing permits given each year can show how much the population might grow soon. For many years, most new homes in the Bay Area were single-family houses. But that changed after the Great Recession in 2009. More permits have been given for multifamily homes, like apartments, duplexes and triplexes. Most buildings are finished a few years after the permits are given.
Regional Performance
Recent housing permits numbers are much lower than in 2018, which was still far below the levels seen in the 1970s and 1980s.
In 2024, cities and counties across the Bay Area gave out permits for about 9,100 new housing units. That’s one of the lowest numbers in the past 15 years, about 75% less than the 32,500 units issued permits in 2018, and almost 90% less than the 66,600 units issued permits in 1971.
About 60% of the 2024 permits were for multifamily housing. This includes buildings like apartments, duplexes and triplexes. Most new housing permits in recent years have been for multifamily homes. But the share was higher in 2023, when it was 75%. Urban counties like San Francisco, Santa Clara and Alameda tend to issue most of their housing permits for multifamily units, while less populated counties such as Marin, Napa and Solano tend to issue permits for more single-family homes.
of new housing were issued permits in the Bay Area in 2018, the highest in the past three decades
of units issued permits in 2024 in San Francisco were for multifamily units
Historical Trend for Housing Permits
Regional Distribution
In 2023, about one out of every four homes that received a permit was considered affordable for people with low- or very low-incomes.
Between 2021 and 2023, the number of new homes planned for low- and very low-income residents went up. In 2021, 20% of homes that got permits were affordable. By 2023, that number rose to about 29%. One notable example is Santa Clara County, where cities approved over 1,700 affordable homes in 2022 and about the same number in 2023. Even with these changes, the Bay Area still isn’t building enough affordable homes compared to how many people need them.
of new housing were issued permits for affordable for low- and very low-income households in 2023
Housing Permits by Affordability Level (2023)
Local Focus
San Francisco continues to lead the region in housing permits, most of which are for multifamily housing.
San Francisco issues more housing permits each year than any other city in the Bay Area. From 2020 to 2024, it approved permits for more than 13,100 units. This far surpasses the 7,500 approved in San Jose, despite that city being the region’s most populous.
Cities that give out the most permits tend to have most of them for multifamily projects. But single-family homes are still more common in fast-growing places on the edge of the region, like eastern Contra Costa County. For example, Antioch was the only city in the top 10 for total permits from 2020 to 2024 where nearly 80% of permits were for single-family homes.
of new housing were issued permits on average in San Francisco from 2020 to 2024
of units issued permits in Antioch in 2024 were for single-family homes
Housing Permits by City and Unincorporated Area by Decade
Sources & Methodology
Bay Area housing permits data from 1967 to 2024 by single/multifamily come from the California Housing Foundation/Construction Industry Research Board (CIRB). Affordability breakdowns from 2014 to 2023 come from the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) – Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) Housing Permits Database. Permit values reflect the number of units permitted in each respective year. Due to the slightly different methodologies that exist within each of those datasets, the total units from each of the two sources might not be consistent with each other.
Single-family housing units include detached, semi-detached, row house and town house units. Row houses and town houses are included as single-family units when each unit is separated from the adjacent unit by an unbroken ground-to-roof party or fire wall. Condominiums are included as single-family units when they are of zero-lot-line or zero-property-line construction; when units are separated by an air space; or when units are separated by an unbroken ground-to-roof party or fire wall. Multifamily housing includes duplexes, three-to-four-unit structures and apartment-type structures with five units or more. Multifamily also includes condominium units in structures of more than one living unit that do not meet the single-family housing definition.
Each multifamily unit is counted separately even though they may be in the same building. Total units is the sum of single-family and multifamily units. County data is available from 1967 whereas city data is available from 1990. City data is only available for incorporated cities and towns. All permits in unincorporated cities and towns are included under their respective county’s unincorporated total. Permit data is not available for years when the city or town was not incorporated.
Affordable housing is the total number of permitted units affordable to low and very low-income households. Housing that is affordable to very low-income households are households that make below 50% of the area median income. Housing that is affordable to low-income households are households that make between 50% and 80% of the area median income. Housing that is affordable to moderate income households are households that make below 80% and 120% of the area median income. Housing that is affordable to above moderate-income households are households that make above 120% of the area median income.
California Housing Foundation/Construction Industry Research Board (CIRB)
Construction Review Report (1967-2024)
Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) – Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC)
Housing Permits Database (2014-2022)
Housing Permits Database (2023)