Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Housing Permits Up This Year
PRAIRIE GROVE — New houses are being constructed in Prairie Grove, with the city on pace to have its best year for issuing permits for single family homes since 2010.
In 2010, Prairie Grove issued 34 permits for single family homes. This dropped to 22 permits in 2011 and to 25 permits in 2012.
For 2013, the city has issued 25 permits for single family residences through Aug. 15, tying the total for 2012. Mayor Sonny Hudson said he believes one reason permits are up this year is because the city has vacant lots.
“Some people thought it would be terrible to have all those lots out there,” Hudson said. “My thought all along is that when this thing [economy] turns back up, which it is doing, we would have lots available.”
The lots in Prairie Grove are “ready to go,” Hudson said, because they have streets, curbs and utilities.
He said the vacant lots are giving builders a place to go.
Larry Oelrich, director of public works and administrative services, said the fact that Prairie Grove’s permits are up, compared to last year, is an indication that construction has picked up. He pointed out that reports in area newspapers are saying the same thing, construction has increased in other parts of northwest Arkansas also.
“I think the market is getting stronger and people are more confident about the economy,” Oelrich said.
Records show that homes are being built in subdivisions across the city. Some of the subdivisions include Belle Meade, Battlefield, Stonecrest, Grandview, Prairie Meadows, Highland Greene and Highland South.
A listing of the permits shows that the homes have ranged in size from 1,300 square feet to 2,775 square feet. Oelrich said the average size of the homes built this year is 1,700 square feet.
The total valuation of the 25 permits, or the reported construction costs, is $2.8 million, according to information from City Hall.
Prairie Grove set a record for single family homes in 2005 when it issued 118 building permits. The second highest year was 2006 with 96 permits for single family homes. The low occurred in 1995 with only 12 building permits for single family residences.