It’s actually much less conservative than the surrounding areas. Though admittedly it only takes a stone’s throw to get into some pretty gruesome backwoods. The real issue is that there aren’t any jobs in the area. It’s too out of the way for tourism, all the factories have closed down, and the railroad just isn’t what it used to be.
So functionally they hand you money, you can’t find a job that pays your bills, so you leave and they’ve gained nothing. Or is the subsidy ongoing as long as they’re short on people (haha until the end of time!) Or is there something else in place to help keep people there?
As part of a broader effort to recapture some of the city’s former vitality, Cumberland is hoping to take advantage of the pandemic shift to remote work by giving $20,000 to 10 home buyers who promise to invest in those properties and become part of the community.
[…]
It’s really to attract people who will benefit your community,” said Cumberland City Council member Laurie Marchini. “It’s not a social services program; it’s to bring people in who are employed.”
At least it’s something different from the disappointing status quo of dying towns in America. Still sad. Pictures of the town make it look like it’s a charming little place. Hopefully things can turn around for it.
Lord. Stone’s throw from the city limits and you can hear dueling banjos. No grocery stores for miles, but multiple churches. Yards filled with scrap metal. Animals either roaming free or chained up inside a small area all day long. Casual usage of the n-bomb.
They also doing anything about the conservative culture that likely caused their brain drain in the first place?
It’s actually much less conservative than the surrounding areas. Though admittedly it only takes a stone’s throw to get into some pretty gruesome backwoods. The real issue is that there aren’t any jobs in the area. It’s too out of the way for tourism, all the factories have closed down, and the railroad just isn’t what it used to be.
So functionally they hand you money, you can’t find a job that pays your bills, so you leave and they’ve gained nothing. Or is the subsidy ongoing as long as they’re short on people (haha until the end of time!) Or is there something else in place to help keep people there?
This is explicitly for full-time remote workers.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/08/30/cumberland-maryland-revival/
I think they’re hoping to attract remote workers from the cities. It’s a historic town in a scenic area, so it has that going for it at least.
You can only get the subsidy if:
You become a homeowner.
You have a job or self-employment in the area.
You stay there for 3 years. Or was it 5 years? Something like that.
In the area?
At least it’s something different from the disappointing status quo of dying towns in America. Still sad. Pictures of the town make it look like it’s a charming little place. Hopefully things can turn around for it.
I’d like to hear more about the backwoods you refer to as greusome!
Lord. Stone’s throw from the city limits and you can hear dueling banjos. No grocery stores for miles, but multiple churches. Yards filled with scrap metal. Animals either roaming free or chained up inside a small area all day long. Casual usage of the n-bomb.
Sounds like every yard between Cumberland and Keyser, to me.
It was the lose of jobs as industry moved away, a trend started after WW2.
The culture probably helped but it’s a much larger trend than people simply not wanting to live in a conservative town.