It was so depressed that I couldnt believe it was part of the nion.

These are speculative, but here is somethings to search for: 1) A new national park/monument that takes most of a day to experience (something like smokey mountains, Yellowstone, yosemite, Joshua Tree, Bryce, Zion, grand canyon, etc, but new) 2) a newer university in the area that has large funding allocation (UC Merced: By far cheapest area with a UC university) 3) new tourist attraction such as presidential library, amusement park, etc. 4) a tourist attraction that may not have hit its peak (Havasupai popularity has grown at stupid pace, Antelope canyon is crazy popular but Buckskin is not and is in many ways superior, etc.).  5) A city that for some reason has depressed values. 

This caused the area's economies to become depressed.

It's like all our grandparents who talked about the Great Depression etc...it took another 80 years to see that repeated.

Our city had depressed rental markets and appreciation for a long time.

I am not sure if you know about TDIU but here is a bit of information (they take their information from the VA website) As far as work I am working with a psychologist to... curb my depression/ptsd - it's like a loud voice in your mind interrupting everything you try to focus on.

.- About a month ago, he tells me he's depressed since his mom passed, his therapist has upped his meds, and now he can't function properly. 

This is just one example, that makes some say that, deliberately or not, the Fed has contributed to the creation of the Great Depression.

The last time I watched 'depressing' news via cable tv was in 2003.

I don't know how we can avoid another recession, or perhaps more likely, a depression.