Austin still leads in multi-unit permitting as nation falls to below pre-COVID levels

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A report released Friday by the real estate company Redfin states permits for new apartment buildings are down across the U.S. However, the Austin-Round Rock metro (MSA) is still ahead of its pre-pandemic position and the rest of the country.According to the report, U.S. permitting is down by 5.5% from its lowest point in 2019, from 13.1 per 10,000 people to 12.4 now. This follows a national construction boom that occurred between 2021 and 2025."Remote work during the pande