Building permits more plentiful in 2012

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - There's a sign that the economy in the metro Indianapolis area is improving. Building permits for single family homes were up significantly in 2012.

According to numbers released by the Builders Association of Greater Indianapolis, there were nearly 4,200 building permits issued in the nine county Indianapolis metro area last year. The 4,182 total is an increase of 16 percent over 2011. That's the largest year to year increase since 1998. It was the first time permits were at the 4,000 level since 2008. 

Steve Lains, CEO of the Builders Association of Greater Indianapolis says those numbers have an important impact on the local economy.

"That equated to $750 million of local income generated here. That created $170 million in local taxes, and about 13,000 jobs, all from those 4,200 permits, houses being built," he says. 

Lains said 2013 is poised to be even better, depending on what happens to the economy nationally. Hamilton County issued the most permits in 2012 with 1,690 issued.