Multifamily Surge Lifts January Housing Starts But Falling Permits Signal Sluggish Outlook

A 29.9 percent jump in multifamily starts masked underlying weakness in single-family construction, with total permits declining 5.8 percent year-over-year to open 2026 Residential construction opened 2026 with a headline number that overstated the health of the housing sector. Total housing starts jumped 7.2 percent in January, but the gain was driven entirely by a […]