By Mike Donahue
Last month we were told the crushing recession that has severely damaged the nation, crippled Nevada and badly wounded Moapa Valley ended in 2009. The National Bureau of Economic Research claimed that the great collapse had bottomed out and recovery began in June of last year.
Unfortunately, for the millions of Americans trampled by the worst economic downturn since World War II, many of whom live here in our little corner of the world, assertions that things started to improve 16 months ago sounds a lot like the words I use to describe the stuff I pick up with a pitchfork in my corrals. (An expanded vocabulary is just one of the many benefits of rural life.)
Anyway, while things may be looking up for a few people, including some local realtors who insist that the past year has been one of opportunity for those with money who have been able to snap up great housing deals, the vast majority of those personally and economically damaged by the Great Recession scoff at the idea that we’ve been on the way up for more than a year.
As a matter of fact, for some residents, the worst part of the recession actually occurred after officials claimed it was over and things were improving.
Laura and her husband David have deep roots in Moapa Valley. He was born and raised here and they moved here as a couple in the 1990s; sort of a return to paradise for the pair who also have lived in other parts of Southern Nevada.
Both were working when they moved to the valley, and the future seemed rosy, so they bought a house in 2002.
Even when the recession started in December 2007, Laura and David were doing okay and making ends meet. As a matter of fact, it really wasn’t until June 2009, the exact month the economic big shots say the recession ended, that the couple ran into trouble.
Now I’m no genius, but it would seem to me that if the recession ended in June 2009, things should have improved, not gotten worse.
Anyway, at the same time the recession allegedly ended, David’s work dried up. A construction worker, he learned that his company no longer had need of his services since it no longer had jobs.
The small construction company David worked for lost out on a lot of jobs when they were under bid by bigger companies which were now bidding on a lot of small jobs because of economic conditions. Apparently no one had informed all involved that the recession was now over.
Laura, too, ran into employment problems when a simple medical procedure turned difficult and she eventually lost her job as well.
It took months to get there, but the couple ultimately landed at their financial end and the once rosy picture of the future faded.
They repeatedly tried to work with the bank that held the mortgage on their home but everything collapsed – just the way one would expect during a recession.
Laura said that although the couple sent in partial house payments and she called the bank every two weeks to keep in touch and let them know the couple was still fighting to make ends meet, in January the bank cut off all avenues for hope.
Despite being repeatedly told not to worry, that the bank didn’t want their home, they lost their house and were forced to declare bankruptcy.
Although they’re still living there, the house is not really theirs anymore and will very probably be on the foreclosure market soon. Not quite the end of the recession as claimed.
Laura and David are both working again, although they’re not making nearly what they did before June 2009. The future’s not as rosy as it once looked, but it’s there and it’s something to look forward to.
Without a doubt, we have a way to go before the true end of the Great Recession is part of our reality. Hopefully, it’ll be something we can experience before too much longer.
“Rural Rants” is a column about rural living and the people who live here. It appears the first and third Wednesday of the month. Your comments and input are important and will be appreciated. Contact me via email at mouse@mvdsl.com
