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As the recession lingered this year, The News-Review published frequent reports of factors that affect our economy. During the past week, we summed up the effects on Douglas County in a series we called “Faces of the Economy.”
While we worked to find some bright spots in the economic picture, there weren't a lot to be found.
Maybe the most encouraging news is that we have apparently hit bottom, so we can finally begin to work our way back up. The recovery, we're told, won't be a sprint back to the top, but more of a slow hill climb.
Rebounding from the loss of an estimated 3,000 jobs is going to take time, especially when many of those jobs are tied to the housing market. With an estimated 600 homes in the area that have gone through foreclosure or are in pre-foreclosure, it's going to be awhile before there's a demand for new homes to be built. That keeps the demand down for our local wood products as well as our construction trade.
The lack of activity in the housing market depresses real estate sales and slows business for all the supporting firms in that arena.
The only hustle and bustle these days seems to be at the Roseburg office of Department of Human Services, where 15 more caseworkers are being hired to meet the high demand for those who need financial assistance for food and living expenses. Or at the United Community Action Network Food Bank, where the food coming in from food drives leaves almost as soon as it arrives for food pantries across the county.
For those who have lost their jobs or their homes, we can imagine how difficult it is to face life each day, to be left wondering if circumstances will ever improve. Even for those who continue to have jobs, there's the strain of having to work harder with fewer employees or at lower pay.
Fortunately, Douglas County is a place of resources. Tough times make us look to the many programs we have here to help. Umpqua Community Development Corp. has a program to help people fight home foreclosure. Umpqua Training & Employment has retraining programs for laid-off workers. Umpqua Community College offers a variety of certificate and degree programs designed to get people back into the work force.
Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Douglas County works with families who are having financial troubles to negotiate with creditors and avoid bankruptcy.
In addition, we have companies here who are dedicated to our county and the families that live here. They will dig into their savings and stay put, waiting for the economy to improve, with the hopes of becoming profitable and growing once again.
We know we have much to be grateful for in Douglas County, with the scenic beauty of our rivers, forests and hillsides being near the top of the list. The generosity and compassion of our residents is another asset, and one we must draw on so we can emerge from this recession with smiles and hope for a better future.
While we worked to find some bright spots in the economic picture, there weren't a lot to be found.
Maybe the most encouraging news is that we have apparently hit bottom, so we can finally begin to work our way back up. The recovery, we're told, won't be a sprint back to the top, but more of a slow hill climb.
Rebounding from the loss of an estimated 3,000 jobs is going to take time, especially when many of those jobs are tied to the housing market. With an estimated 600 homes in the area that have gone through foreclosure or are in pre-foreclosure, it's going to be awhile before there's a demand for new homes to be built. That keeps the demand down for our local wood products as well as our construction trade.
The lack of activity in the housing market depresses real estate sales and slows business for all the supporting firms in that arena.
The only hustle and bustle these days seems to be at the Roseburg office of Department of Human Services, where 15 more caseworkers are being hired to meet the high demand for those who need financial assistance for food and living expenses. Or at the United Community Action Network Food Bank, where the food coming in from food drives leaves almost as soon as it arrives for food pantries across the county.
For those who have lost their jobs or their homes, we can imagine how difficult it is to face life each day, to be left wondering if circumstances will ever improve. Even for those who continue to have jobs, there's the strain of having to work harder with fewer employees or at lower pay.
Fortunately, Douglas County is a place of resources. Tough times make us look to the many programs we have here to help. Umpqua Community Development Corp. has a program to help people fight home foreclosure. Umpqua Training & Employment has retraining programs for laid-off workers. Umpqua Community College offers a variety of certificate and degree programs designed to get people back into the work force.
Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Douglas County works with families who are having financial troubles to negotiate with creditors and avoid bankruptcy.
In addition, we have companies here who are dedicated to our county and the families that live here. They will dig into their savings and stay put, waiting for the economy to improve, with the hopes of becoming profitable and growing once again.
We know we have much to be grateful for in Douglas County, with the scenic beauty of our rivers, forests and hillsides being near the top of the list. The generosity and compassion of our residents is another asset, and one we must draw on so we can emerge from this recession with smiles and hope for a better future.
