The decrease was driven by a 5.1% month-over-month slide in the rate of multifamily starts, while single-family construction was flat.

Thirty new units of residential housing could be coming to 212 Old Colony Ave. in South Boston.

The seasonally adjusted estimate of new houses for sale at the end of July was 378,000, representing a supply of 6.1 months at the current sales rate.

“The bright spot in an otherwise underwhelming report comes from the increase in the overall number of permits issued, which can signal how much home construction is in the pipeline.” — First American deputy chief economist Odeta Kushi