Completions of owner-built houses fell 26% and those in apartment buildings rose 10% so far in 2026 compared with the same period last year.
Construction résidentielle
About 947 thousand wood-framed single-family homes were completed, while steel-framed completions reached about 5 thousand.
Residential permits fell 8.9% from the previous month, with the single-family component down 6.2%.
Permits for new single-family houses were 10% higher and those for two-family houses 25% higher in the first seven months of 2026 than in the same period last year.
Single-family starts rose 7.6% from July.
The new-construction starts lagged a year earlier by 30.5%.
The 30-year fixed rate increased from the previous week and remained above its year-earlier level.
Dealers report higher supplier prices, reduced Canadian shipments and longer lead times after the duties took effect.
Inventory reaches 1.62 million units, while the median existing-home price rises 1.6% from a year earlier.
The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage also rose, while both rates remain above year-ago levels.
Softwood lumber prices rose 11.8% year over year, compared with a 5.1% increase in residential building material prices.
The funding will support wood-product processing, innovation, workforce development, plantations and timber import compliance.
15-year rate reaches 6.04%, up 0.06 points weekly and 0.44 points year-over-year.
Private residential spending ran at US$859.0 billion in July, down from US$870.6 billion in June.
The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage also rose as home prices grew more slowly in many areas.
The national index rose 1.5% from a year earlier in June, after a 1.2% annual gain in May.
Sales of new single-family homes fell to 607,000 in July, from 678,000 in June.
The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage also fell, while both rates remained above year-earlier levels.
The law also directs the Department of Housing and Urban Development to identify financing barriers for modular housing and study a federal building standard.
Single-family starts fell 6.9% year to date, while starts in buildings with five or more units rose 11.9%. The July rate was the second-lowest monthly level of 2026.