New Data Shows a 37% Quarterly Jump in Residential Permits, Long-Term Uncertainty Looms

Residential development in Los Angeles picked up in the second quarter of 2025, following a sluggish start to the year attributed to the January wildfires, according to a new report from Hilgard Economics .

From April through June, the city approved 1,816 new residential units — a 37% increase over the first quarter and a 4.2% gain compared to the same period last year. This brings the total number of residential permits issued in 2025 to 3,141.

While the latest figures offer a glimmer of optimism for housing advocates and developers alike, Hilgard Economics cautions that major challenges remain. High interest rates, construction cost inflation, threatened tariffs, labor shortages intensified by im

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