Research group reports drop in housing permits pulled

Demand for new homes slipped again in August, a decline California home builders attributed to the discontinuation of the state home buyer tax credit program, the California Building Industry Association said this week.  According to statistics compiled by the Construction Industry Research Board, home builders pulled permits for 2,911 total housing units in August, down 5 percent from July.  The Construction Industry Research Board is forecasting permits will be pulled for just 39,500 total units in 2009.  That would be the lowest total on record.