WASHINGTON -- U.S. builders started work on more new housing than expected in February as construction of apartments, condominiums and townhouses increased, the U.S. Commerce Department said.
While housing starts -- led by a drop in work on single-family houses -- fell 0.4% last month to an annual rate of 1.647 million units, the number was higher than forecast. January starts had risen 4.8% to a 1.653 million-unit pace, the fastest since February 2000.