WDAM - Channel 7 - Serving Hattiesburg, Laurel and the Pine BeltJones Co. Economy on the Rise, Despite Katrina.
Member Center:
Jones County's economy is booming in more ways than one, despite the aftermath of Katrina.
Sandie Holifield, Director of Jones County Economic Development, says, "Katrina dealt us a bad hand, but something good also happened." Holifield says post-Katrina, there are new jobs in the county and several hundred more just on the horizon. She says those jobs opportunities have increased the population in Jones County, which means the housing market is booming as well.
Andy Dial, president of the Jones County Board of Supervisors, agrees. He says there are many different varieties of homes being built and as families continue to grow, so will the area.
"Some of these people are not people that have moved here from somewhere else but are people who are just moving up in house," says Dial, "Maybe they've started a family and got some kids. And maybe they can afford it now. I think due to Katrina, people are hunting a place to live to set down family roots."
Dial says although Katrina blew in several challenges, she also carried with her, positive opportunities for Jones County development.
**Ontario Richardson reporting. For questions or comments, email her at orichardson@wdam.com.
