After showing signs of recovery, spending on home improvements is expected to remain volatile and weak over the next several quarters, according to a report released today by the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. The Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) projected that annual remodeling spending through the first quarter of 2012 will be down 4%. The Census Bureau’s improvements spending series, to which the LIRA is benchmarked, was recently revised downwards as well.