Census Building Permit Survey Under Counts Massachusetts Housing Units
The US Census collects data on new housing units from local governments in a data set called the Building Permit Survey (BPS). A recent analysis of the US Census Building Permit Survey for Massachusetts shows there was at least a 14% under count of new housing units over the last 5 years. This document explains:
- What the BPS is and why it matters
- A summary of the analysis of the BPS in Massachusetts reporting accuracy
- How communities can help improve BPS accuracy
For more information on the data collected for the BPS analysis, please contact Chris Kluchman, Housing Choice Program Director at the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), at Chris.Kluchman@mass.gov