Residential construction activity in the RPGA Planning District remains strong through the third quarter of 2020.

RPGA general manager Susan Stein tells us there has been a large increase in the number of house permits taken out this year.

"Permits for dwellings are up substantially. We've seen double the number of dwellings built in 2020, both in Rhineland and Altona. We're currently sitting between 33 and 35 permits."

The value of construction permits to the end of September 2020 is $5.8 million compared to 17 residential construction permits valued at $3.5 million in 2019.

Stein as asked what factors were spurring this kind of increase.

"We think that there are still a lot of people who want to live here with immigration and a lot of people are growing their families and looking for other options out there."

Overall commercial construction in the RPGA District is holding its own compared to last year with slower growth on the farm building construction side and in commercial construction in Rhineland. However, commercial construction in Altona in Altona is significantly from 2019 with permits valued at close to $6.3 million dollars compared to $3.6 million last year at this time.