By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

ALABASTER – The city’s housing market continued to post higher numbers than the previous year during the first month of 2015, according to data released by the Alabaster Department of Building Safety.

During a late February meeting, Ward 7 Councilman Tommy Ryals updated council members on the number of new home building permits approved by the department in January.

Through the first month of 2015, the department had issued six new home permits. Although the number was down from the 12 permits the city issued in December 2014, it was five more than the city issued during January 2014.

Alabaster’s housing market has seen a resurgence over the past few years since the global housing market downturn hit in 2008.

Alabaster finished 2014 with a total of 77 new home building permits, marking the city’s highest number in six years.

Alabaster’s year-end new home numbers were 48 in 2009, 29 in 2010, 30 in 2011, 57 in 2012 and 61 in 2013.

While the recent numbers of new home permits are a far cry from the nearly 700 per year Alabaster issued during the real estate boon in the early 2000s, Ryals said he is optimistic about the direction the city’s housing market is heading.

Instead of several hundred permits per year, Alabaster is looking to hold steady at about 100 or 200 permits annually, Ryals said previously.