Table 3. The number of detached single-family building permits issued in 1975- 

 79 (Thompson et al . 1977, 1978, 1979). 



Number of building Percentage of 



County permits issued single-family units 



Bay 4,636 76 



Escambia 8,706 77 



Franklin 480 84 



Gulf 105 100 



Okaloosa 3,290 87 



Santa Rosa 1,002 90 



Walton 257 99 



Northwest Florida 18,476 80 



Mobile Homes 



Mobile homes are a single- family home, and have become increasingly abun- 

 dant in Northwest Florida and the State. In 1950, the 624 mobile homes in 

 Northwest Florida contributed only 1% of the housing units. In 1960, the 

 number increased to 4,597 (4% of the housing units) and by 1970 the number 

 reached 11,555 (8%). The percentage contributed by mobile homes to the State 

 total increased from 2% in 1950 to 6% in 1970. The percentage increase of 

 mobile homes among residences increased more than in the State as a whole. 



Because of the presence of the Elgin Air Force Base, Okaloosa County in 

 1970 had the greatest number of mobile homes (Table 4). Escambia County had 

 almost as many mobile homes because it has a naval base and a naval air sta- 

 tion as well as the largest urban center (Pensacola) in the region. 



No reliable statistics are available for mobile homes after 1970. Since 

 the availability of mobile homes may be important during the early construc- 

 tion phases of OCS oil and gas development, it is important that 1980 census 

 data on mobile homes be incorporated into this study as soon as it becomes 

 avilable. Until then, it is assumed that the number of mobile homes in the 

 1970' s and early 1980' s will continued to increase. 



Multi -family Dwellings 



In recent years, multi-family dwelling units have become more numerous in 

 Northwest Florida. The number of permits issued in 1979 were 1,991 in Escam- 

 bia County, 1,116 in Bay County, and 426 in Okaloosa County. Only a few were 

 issued in the other counties. A relatively large percentage of all permits 

 issued in 1975-79 in Escambia and Bay Counties have been for multi-family 

 units. 



63 



