By Gay Cororaton, MIAMI REALTORS Chief Economist
Key Takeaways
- Housing units authorized in the first half of 2025 in Southeast Florida rose 14%, bucking the 2% national decline.
- The annualized authorized units per 1,000 existing housing units were higher than nationally (9.9) in Miami-Dade County (13.8), Martin County (12.5), and St. Lucie County (29.6) but lower in Broward County (3.8) and Palm Beach County (6.6).
- MIAMI Realtors® estimates that the current pace of housing units authorized is more than enough to meet future housing needs but not enough in Broward County and Beach County.
Download the Planned New Housing Construction in Southeast Florida June 2025 Report HERE.
Miami-Dade County: Housing Permits Up 19% in Jan-June 2025 at a Level to More than Meet Future Housing Needs
Miami-Dade County’s planned housing construction continues to outpace the nation, according to MIAMI Realtors® analysis of the latest (June 2025) US Census Bureau Building Permits Survey.
The number of units authorized in the first half of 2025 rose 19% from the same period last year. A high fraction of 85% of housing units authorized were units in buildings with 2 or more units (multifamily). In the first half of 2025, there were 1,171 single-family housing units authorized (+18%) and 6,536 housing units authorized (+19%).
At the current pace, the annualized units of 15,414 units authorized for 2025 surpasses the 10,008 housing units authorized in 2019 (pre-pandemic). The post-pandemic peak level was in 2021 with 13,393 housing units authorized.
The annualized level (15,414 units) equates to 13.8 housing units authorized per 1,000 existing housing units as of 2024. Nationally, there were 1.4 million housing units authorized on an annualized basis or 9.9 housing units per 1,000 existing housing units.
The Sunbelt states continue to have more housing units authorized per 1,000 existing housing units compared to nationally: South Carolina (19.6), North Carolina (18.7), Florida (18.0), Texas (17.6), Arizona (16.4), and Nevada (15.6). The most intense permitting is in Idaho (22.6).
Housing units authorized rose at a double digit pace in the first half of 2025 from one year ago in Miami (+25%), Hialeah (78%), Homestead (+34%), Florida City (from 0 last year), and the unincorporated areas of Miami-Dade County (+44%). At the current pace, the annualized levels of housing units authorized in 2025 will surpass the pre-pandemic housing units authorized in 2019 in these cities.
At the zip code level, the zip codes with the most housing units authorized were in 33130 (Brickell area), 33175 (Kendale Lakes, Tamiami area), and 33011 (Hialeah area).
The annualized housing units authorized in the first half of 2025 of 15,414 units is expected to meet the demand for new housing in Miami-Dade County. MIAMI Realtors® estimates that over the period 2025-2029, Miami-Dade County needs 10,600 housing units annually to house a growing population that is projected to rise 0.68% annually (median growth rate estimate of the University of Florida) and to replace destroyed/obsolete housing. MIAMI Realtors® estimate of housing units needed assumes of 2.5 persons per housing unit and a loss rate of 3 housing units per 1,000 existing housing units according to the US Census Bureau’s loss rate estimates for the South region by age of the building.
The expected decline in interest rates in 2026 is likely to bolster both housing construction and demand. New housing construction will tend to temper the pace of price appreciation and rent growth in the next five years if the current pace of planned housing construction continues.
Broward County: Housing Permits Up 27% in the First Half of 2025, at a Level Below Future Housing Needs
Housing units authorized in the first half of 2025 also rose in Broward County from one year ago to 1,654 (+27%).
Fort Lauderdale, Margate, and Pompano Beach received the highest levels of housing units authorized in the first half of 2025.
Despite the increase, Broward County’s current pace of housing units authorized has fallen sharply compared to past years and is below the level needed to meet housing needs.
The annualized level of 3,308 units for 2025 equates to 3.8 housing units per 1,000 existing housing units (9.9 nationally). MIAMI Realtors estimates that given Broward’s annual projected population growth of 0.82% in the next 5 five years and to replace destroyed/obsolete housing, it needs 8,200 housing units annually from 2025-2029.
Palm Beach County: Housing Permits Up 8% in the First Half of 2025 at a Level Below Future Housing Needs
Housing units authorized in the first half of 2025 also rose in Palm Beach County from one year ago to 2,410 (+8%).
Boynton Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, West Lake and the combined unincorporated areas had the most housing units authorized in the first half of 2025.
The annualized level of 4,820 units for 2025 equates to 6.6 housing units per 1,000 existing housing units (9.9 nationally). MIAMI Realtors estimates that given Palm Beach County’s projected annual population growth of 0.95% in the next 5 five years and to replace destroyed/obsolete housing, it needs 8,300 housing units annually from 2025-2029.
Martin County: Housing Permits Up 30% in the First Half of 2025 at a Level to Meet Future Housing Needs
Housing units authorized in the first half of 2025 also rose in Martin County from one year ago to 530 units (+30%).
The combined unincorporated areas of Martin County and Indiantown had the most units authorized in the first half of 2025.
The annualized level of 1,060 units for 2025 equates to 12.5 housing units per 1,000 existing housing units (9.9 nationally). MIAMI Realtors estimates that given Martin County’s projected annual population growth of 0.55% in the next 5 five years and to replace destroyed/obsolete housing, it needs 800 housing units annually from 2025-2029.
St. Lucie County: Housing Permits Slightly Fell 2% in the First Half of 2025 but Still More than Meets Future Housing Needs
Housing units authorized in the first half of 2025 also rose in St. Lucie County from one year ago to 2,539 (-2%).
Port St. Lucie had the most units authorized in the first half of 2025.
Despite the decline, the annualized level of 5,078 units for 2025 equates to 29.6 housing units per 1,000 existing housing units (9.9 nationally). MIAMI Realtors estimates that given St. Lucie Count’s projected annual population growth of 3.55% in the next 5 five years and to replace destroyed/obsolete housing, it needs 3,600 housing units annually from 2025-2029. Thus, the current pace is slightly more than the level to meet future housing needs.
