Big jump in new home starts

GAINESVILLE - The first month of the new year saw more than 160 permits approved for new, single-family housing in Gainesville and Hall County.

That's more than twice as many as January 2002 - when 78 were okayed - as the economy was continuing to struggle with the downturn that occurred in the wake of the terrorist attacks.

Of the January 2003 total, 38 were for new homes in the city and the rest, 125, were for new homes in unincorporated parts of the county - for work expected to cost $19-point-seven million.

Also last month, 21 permits were okayed for commercial/industrial repairs.