A housing unit is vacant if there is no one living in it at the time of the interview, unless its occupants are only temporarily absent. In addition, a vacant unit can be one that is fully occupied by people who have a regular residence elsewhere. New units that are not yet occupied are classified as unoccupied housing units if the construction has reached a point where all the windows and exterior doors have been installed and the usable floors have been placed for the last time. Empty units are excluded if they are exposed to the elements, that is, if the roof, walls, windows or doors no longer protect the interior from the elements, or if there is positive evidence (such as a sign on the house or block) that the unit is going to be demolished or is doomed. Also excluded are rooms that are used entirely for non-residential purposes, such as a store or office, or rooms that are used to store business supplies or inventory, machinery or agricultural products.
Empty bedrooms in guest houses, temporary housing, barracks and other neighborhoods not defined as housing units are not included in the statistics. The Census Bureau's Housing Vacancy Survey and the American Community Survey more frequently monitor vacant housing trends. Despite their name, seasonal units encompass a wide range of housing, including part-time housing for snowbirds in Maricopa County, second homes in New York County, hunting lodges in Vilas County, Wisconsin, and beach houses in Cape May County (New Jersey). Evan Brassell is the head of the Housing Statistics Branch of the Social, Economic and Housing Statistics Division.
Among the 15 largest counties by number of housing units, 11 had far more vacant units for rent than in any other vacancy category, including New York County, New York, Harris County, Texas, Cook County, Illinois, and Los Angeles County, California (Table. When many people think of empty houses, they think of houses or apartments for sale or rent in the market. Census Bureau When many people think of empty houses, they think of houses or apartments for sale or rent in the market. These empty structures cover a wide range of housing units, from part-time residences and hunting cabins to beach houses and shared properties.
