Census shows rate of empty houses, apartments in Calif. increases along with household size
Associated Press
By Amy Taxin
Californians saw the rate of empty homes and rental apartments in the state increase during the past decade, census data showed on Thursday in the latest news on the state's battered housing market.
The Golden State's homeowner vacancy rate shot up from 1.4 percent to 2.1 percent, while the rental vacancy rate rose from 3.7 percent to 6.3 percent, according to data from the 2010 census. The number of vacant housing units jumped 55 percent to 1.1 million.
At the same time, the average household size in owner-occupied and rental units increased across the state.
Since the economy tumbled, Californians have left the state in search of jobs or doubled up with family members to ride out the storm in the housing market, real estate experts said.
"People are moving out of state or people are doubling up," said Richard Green, director of the Lusk Center for Real Estate at the University of Southern California.