Geneva, Batavia combined issue only 20 new-home permits

Further proof that the local home-building is in steep decline due to the economy can be found in Batavia and Geneva's annual building permits reports for 2008.

In Batavia, only 12 permits were issued for new homes in 2008. That's less than half of those in 2007, and way down from the 51 it issued in 2006.

"We're just not seeing the activity," said Jeff Albertson, Batavia's building commissioner.

And the total value of construction for all kinds of permits has declined: From $78 million in 2006 to $61 million in 2007 and $25 million in 2008.

However, permit activity for things such as replacing doors, windows and roofs did not decline as much. Overall, the city issued 1,053 permits in 2008, compared to 1,347 permits in 2007.

"Most people seem to be remodeling or fixing up what they have currently," Albertson said.

The new-home drop is the worst he's seen in his 20 years with the city, although new-home permits have been declining for 10 years. Batavia's biggest growth came in the late 1980s to mid-1990s.

In neighboring Geneva, only eight permits for new homes were issued in 2008, compared to 29 in 2007 and 92 in 2006.

Overall, it issued 1,465 permits in 2008, vs. 1,278 in 2007. Revenue from permits was down 4 percent. Permit fees vary, depending on the kind of project.

"Considering the slowdown in the economy, housing and construction, we did all right," Geneva building commissioner Chuck Lencioni said.