Cities Struggle to Regain Jobs

A report has found that more than 90 percent of U.S. metropolitan areas have not regained jobs lost during the recession.

Of the nation’s 363 metropolitan areas, only 26 recovered the lost jobs by the end of 2011 and another 26 are expected to make a full recovery by the end of 2012, according to a report from the United States Conference of Mayors on Wednesday.

“The economic recovery is too slow, and it is a direct result of the inaction of this Congress in 2011,” said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, the president of the US Conference of Mayors (USCM), according to a statement issued by the group.

The report found that 125 cities and metro areas had not experienced any job growth by the end of 2011. It suggested that the outlook for 2012 is much better, saying that the entire nation will have regained 48 percent of lost jobs.

For around 80 of the nation’s metro areas, however, it could take more than five years to regain jobs lost in the recession, the report said.