Comment by Nasrudith

That graph is pretty useless by only focusing on single family homes in metropolitan areas. Single family homes may hold nationwide as a housing growth indicator but one would expect mature and rising cities to have more multifamily residences even if they had a space boon from obsolete industrial jobs move elsewhere due to urban areas providing less of an advantage due to high numbers of workers being less needed with increased automation. Similarly sixteen high rise permits would do more for housing than one hundred sixty single family homes despite there technically being fewer new construction permits - evem though they would rightfully be more involved in making sure it wouldn't cause disaster. While I do not doubt that many urban areas have a housing shortage that isn't very good evidence given the caveats.