The numbers are cooked and crooked. Even if they are correct, what’s the statistical difference between 67.6 percent and 67 percent, or for that matter, 700,000 “people”. My estimation is that something on the order of 300,000 people lost their homes during Katrina/Rita. How many have repurchased? How many people are simply “in transit”?
Just as it is impossible to have full employment; i.e., 100% employment, there is probably also a ceiling on full "home ownership." The NYT could've done a much better job by placing this in perspective, rather than draw some disastrous historical picture to slam the president.
It’s also worth noting that a substantial portion of the population growth in the last six years has probably involved people entering this country illegally. These people are far more likely to rent their homes than own them.