New home permits trending upward

Single-family building permit numbers are trending upward since December - when the county's new impact fee rates went into effect.

Hernando County issued 17 single-family permits in February, up from 13 the month before and 14 one year earlier.

To spur activity, county commissioners last year voted unanimously to roll back impact fees for residential and commercial construction to 2001 levels, from the current $9,200 to $4,848.

The rollback started Dec. 1 and lasts one year, after which commissioners will review its effects.

Meanwhile, Hernando County posted 281 foreclosure filings in February, up from 235 in January.
In February 2009, foreclosure filings were at 282, according to statistics from the county clerk's office.