Total housing starts decreased 0.6 percent in February 2008 to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.065 million, while permits fell 7.8 percent to a 978,000 rate for the month. Starts of single-family homes dropped 6.7 percent in February to a 707,000 rate and the issuance of single-family permits dropped 6.2 percent to rate of 639,000. Both were the lowest rates for single-family homes in 17 years. Starts of multifamily units, which include apartments for-rent as well as condominiums, increased 14.4 percent in February to 358,000.