Building permits for homes jump sharply

It’s not a great time to look for housing in Clark County, which makes it a wonderful time to build it.

In 2015, permits were issued for more than 1,200 single-family homes — a 30 percent increase on permits issued in 2014.

More telling of the recent housing crunch in Clark County, where vacancy rates hover around 2 percent, was the surge in apartment and multifamily building. Last year 29 permits were issued to add nearly 400 multifamily units.

In 2014, the county issued only three multifamily permits.

“These numbers are significant. The industry is healthy and our folks are busy creating special places for people to call home,” Aaron Marvin, vice president of the Building Industry Association of Clark County and co-owner of A.C.T. Construction, said in a press release. “These are crucial factors for long-term housing affordability and industry stability.”

Year-end data released recently also shows good growth in commercial permits throughout 2015, with about 300 issued in all.

As for residential remodeling, the Building Industry Association pointed out “robust gains.” There were 755 remodeling permits issued in 2015, including 62 in rain-soaked December. That nearly doubles those issued in December 2014.

With population growth expected to continue this year, there doesn’t seem to be a need to hit the brakes on building.

“The BIA is focused on assisting the region with solutions for workforce development and raising awareness on land supply issues,” Marvin said.