The weak housing market is crushing U.S. homebuilders. Can the sector make a comeback?

A new home being built in L.A. on Sept. 22.allison dinner/Getty ImagesThe North American housing market is stumbling badly, as sales decline and prices fall from their recent highs.That’s not a promising backdrop for U.S. homebuilding stocks, which are now suffering through their worst year since the financial crisis in 2007-08. What will it take…