Housing starts remain flat at very depressed levels   

Housing starts decreased slightly to 604 thousand in July (seasonally adjusted annual rate) with single unit structures totaling 425 thousand. Total starts reached a low mark of 477k in April of 2009, while single unit starts bottomed out at 360k in January of 2009. Housing starts remain far below the average of just over 1.5 million per year over the last 40+ years, and even farther below the 2.2 million peak of the most recent housing boom. Total starts have been under 1 million (SAAR) for 37 straight months, averaging only 603k during this stretch. Since 1968, the U.S. population has grown from 200 million to over 300 million. Low housing starts not only impact transportation demand for building products but also for appliances, furniture, and other related items. The vertical bars represent recessions.