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With unemployment continuing to rise in North Texas and home foreclosures at near-record highs, KERA is launching a year-long, multimedia project called The Economy that aims to provide hope and bring help to the thousands of North Texans who are facing the mortgage crisis.
Visit this site often for information on resources available in the community, news on the economy in North Texas and across the nation, and special programming by KERA.
The U.S. Economic Recession and North Texas
The North Texas economy has fared better than much of the U.S., but hasn’t gone unscathed by the nation’s longest and in some cases most severe post-WWII recession.
The downturn hit Texas later than the rest of the nation, and in most cases, hasn’t been as damaging.
Even so, thousands of North Texans have endured the devastating experience of losing their homes – for many, their biggest single investment.
Homes posted for foreclosure in July topped 6,000 – the most in a single month in recent history.
Texas’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate continues to be well below the national average of 9.4 percent but rose to 7.1 percent in May.
While temporary firms have recently reported an uptick in demand for workers, economists suggest the unemployment rate will likely continue to rise as employers hold off on hiring permanent positions until the economy is significantly stronger.
The good news, economists say, is that companies are reporting anecdotally that they believe the worst may be behind us.
The bad news is those job losses and foreclosure filings have been rising each month.
Without permanent jobs, more North Texas families are grappling with how to pay for health care and other monthly expenses.
Assistance is available if you need help paying bills or finding services. Dial 2-1-1 Texas (1-877-541-7905) or go to www.211texas.org.
What is 2-1-1 Texas?
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2-1-1 Texas is a service of the Health and Human Service Commission’s Texas Information and Referral Network that provides free information on services and is touted as the place to call when you don’t know where to call.
Trained experts answering 2-1-1 calls have access to the most comprehensive database of community-based organizations, government agencies and nonprofit groups. Last year, 2-1-1 received more than 2 million calls from Texans seeking help for a wide variety of challenges including paying their mortgage, rent or utilities, registering for food stamps, locating food pantries, shelter services, or accessing clothing, counseling child care, senior services, disaster relief and other programs.
Residents throughout the state can dial 2-1-1 seven days a week, 24 hours a day, and receive information in more than 90 languages about local services. 2-11 Texas can also be reached by calling 1-877-541-7905 or online at www.211texas.org. (Note: When searching 211texas.org for housing-related services, type “housing counselor” in the search field and search by city, rather than zip code for best results.)
Video: What is 2-1-1? Manager Vicki Mize describes the service
