Uptick seen in home building in SJ in 2012
New home construction in California is expected to increase by 18.6 percent this year to 25,400 single-family homes.
But that increase is from 2011's record low of 21,420 homes, according to figures from Burbank-based Construction Industry Research Board.
The statewide figures parallel the experience in San Joaquin County that last year saw only 727 building permits issued for new homes.
That was the lowest number since home construction went into free-fall in 2008. By comparison, 2,138 single-family building permits were issued countywide in 2007 and more than 7,000 in 2003.
"It's still pretty rough," said Michael Florsheim of Florsheim Home in Stockton, "as indicated by the lack of building going on in the market."
Stockton-based Florsheim doesn't have any active projects in San Joaquin County and its only Valley project is in Hughson, southeast of Modesto.