THE ALBUQUERQUE AREA'S HOMEBUILDING INDUSTRY BOTTOMED OUT TWO YEARS AGO WITH ONLY A LITTLE OVER 11-HUNDRED HOUSING STARTS. THAT WAS AN 87 PERCENT DROP FROM 2005. BUT THINGS ARE NOW IMPROVING. JIM FOLKMAN WITH THE HOMEBUILDERS ASSOCIATION SAYS PERMITS WERE UP 18 PERCENT IN JANUARY...FOLLOWING A 20 PERCENT INCREASE FOR ALL OF LAST YEAR.

FOLKMAN SAYS TOO MANY HOMES WERE BUILT IN THE MID 2000'S...CLOSE TO 9-THOUSAND IN 2005 ALONE. HE SAYS A MORE SUSTAINABLE NUMBER IS AROUND 35-HUNDRED HOUSING STARTS A YEAR.