During the month of September, single-family permits fell below recorded activity during September 2021. Permits were down 33 percent in the eight-county metropolitan area, with 309 single-family permits issued in September 2022, compared to 458 issued for the same month last year, according to the Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City’s (KCHBA) monthly Residential Building Permit Statistics report. Year-to-date, 3,938 single-family permits have been issued, which is a 16 percent decrease when compared to the 4,678 single-family permits that were issued through the first nine months of 2021.

There are several factors contributing to the lower permitting activity. One component is the length of time it is taking to finish projects. Many builders are working to complete homes started earlier in the year before adding new projects to the pipeline. Supply chain disruptions have been a major factor in creating extended timelines for building a home this year. This has been compounded by the shortage of skilled labor available to keep up with demand. Another factor is seasonality. Historically, this time of year is generally slower.

Kansas City, Mo., continues to lead the metropolitan area as the top-permitting city with 656 single-family permits issued year-to-date. Following behind is Olathe with 390, Overland Park with 331, Lee’s Summit with 271 and Raymore with 265 single-family permits issued during the first nine months of 2022.

Click here to view the September 2022 Residential Statistics Report.