A sharp decline in multifamily starts pushed overall housing starts down in January even as single-family production showed signs of a gradual improvement later this year as interest rates continue to moderate. Overall housing starts decreased 14.8% in January to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.33 million units, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau. The January reading of 1.33 million starts is the number of housing units builders would begin if development kept this pace for the next 12 months. Within this overall number, single-family ... (full story)