Since Mats bought a house in Kent four years ago, the value of his home has plummeted $40,000. In the past year and a half, he has only been able to find four months of work. Mats, who did not want his last name used to preserve the privacy of his financial matters, is two months behind on his mortgage.
Unfortunately, Mats' story is not unusual these days. When area unions, whose unemployed ranks have soared in recent years, asked their members about their biggest concerns, housing jumped to the front. ...