SEATTLE—Despite the worst economy in a generation, apartment construction and operations contributed $3 billion to the metro Seattle economy in 2011 supporting 23,000 local jobs, according to a new report released today by the National Multi Housing Council (NMHC) and the National Apartment Association (NAA). In addition, apartments and their residents statewide contributed $28.7 billion to Washington's economy supporting 678,000 jobs. The report, along with an interactive map and economic impact calculator, is available on the new website www.WeAreApartments.org.

Based on research by economist Stephen S. Fuller, Ph.D., of George Mason University's Center for Regional Analysis, the report covers the economic contribution of apartment construction, operations and resident spending on a national level plus all 50 states. In addition, construction and operations data is available for 12 metro areas: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Philadelphia, Seattle and Washington, D.C.

Highlights from the report include:

-- Nationally, the apartment industry and its residents contributed $1.1
trillion to the economy in 2011, or more than $3 billion every day. This
combined spending supported 25.4 million total jobs.
-- Within the Seattle metro area, the apartment industry spent $507.4
million on new apartment construction, creating a total economic
contribution of $1.1 billion supporting 8,800 local jobs in 2011.
-- The apartment industry spent $1.0 billion operating the metro's 314,000
apartment homes, generating a total economic contribution of $1.8
billion supporting 15,000 local jobs.
-- Within Washington, apartment construction contributed $1.5 billion to
the state economy supporting 11,000 jobs in 2011.
-- Operating the state's 475,000 apartment homes created a total economic
impact of $3.0 billion to Washington supporting 44,900 jobs.
-- Washington's 826,000 apartment residents spent $11.5 billion on goods
and services within the state in 2011, creating a total economic impact
of $24.1 billion supporting 621,000 jobs.
"The apartment industry doesn't just provide homes, but creates thousands of good paying, local jobs that stay right here within Seattle," said Jim Wiard, executive director of the Washington Multi-Family Housing Association (WMFHA). "The eye-opening report shows just how important apartments and our residents are to Washington--contributing more than $28 billion to the state economy."

"Although attention is usually focused on homebuilding and the single-family sector, the annual construction and operating outlays for apartment buildings with five or more units are major sources of economic activity, jobs and personal earnings," said Fuller. "In addition, the residents of apartment buildings constitute an important source of local, state and national economic activity as their spending for goods and services is recycled through the economy. Like the operating outlays for apartment buildings, the spending by renters recurs annually thereby supporting local economies on an ongoing basis."

In conjunction with the study's release, the new website www.WeAreApartments.org breaks down the data by each state and the 12 metro areas through an interactive map. Visitors can also use ACE, the Apartment Community Estimator, a new tool that allows users to enter the number of apartment homes of an existing or proposed community to determine the potential economic impact within Washington or any of the 50 states.

"For the first time we're able to quantify the tremendous economic impact of apartment residents across the country, in addition to the powerful contributions from apartment construction and operations," said NAA Chairman of the Board Alexandra Jackiw, CPM, CAPS. "It truly shows a comprehensive view of the industry's critical role not just in housing, but to the economy at large."

"Even in one of the worst economic climates we've ever seen, the multifamily industry and its 35 million residents contributed more than $1 trillion to the economy," said NMHC Chairman Thomas S. Bozzuto, CEO, The Bozzuto Group. "With up to seven million new renter households forming this decade--almost half of all new households--the dollars and jobs we add to the economy will only grow in magnitude."

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Study: Apartment Construction, Operations Contributed $3 B to Seattle Economy

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