Single-family permits climb 5%

California single-family building permits rose 5% in May compared with the previous month and climbed 5.2% compared with May 2002, the California Building Industry Assn. reported.

During May, construction began on 12,355 new single-family homes, up from 11,766 in April and 11,745 in May 2002, according to the Burbank-based Construction Industry Research Board. During the first five months of the year, there were 57,105 single-family housing starts, a 16.1% increase over 2002.

Single-family housing construction remains strongest in the San Bernardino-Riverside area, with permits totaling 16,797 through May, up 50.1% from a year ago.

Meanwhile, the National Assn. of Home Builders has raised its forecast for 2003 sales of new single-family homes nationwide to 985,000 units, about 1% above last year’s record-breaking 973,000 units.