WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. housing construction rebounded strongly in March to the fastest pace since 2006, as home builders recovered from an unusually frigid February. The Commerce Department reported Friday that builders began construction on new homes and apartments at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.74 million units in March, a 19.4% increase over February when housing construction had fallen by 11.3%. The February setback had been attributed to unusually severe winter storms which had gripped much of the country. Friday’s report showed that application for building permits, a good sign of future activity, increased by 2.7% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.77 million units.
