When the recession hit, Las Vegas felt the pressure. Now, as the house of cards tries to keep its balance, what does the city look like amid a time of financial reassessment? Turns out pretty much the same — just with fewer buildings.

Every year after Labor Day, the neighborhood surrounding the Boardwalk transforms from a bustling pool of congestion to a near ghost town. But even this year’s summer season — which traditionally brings with it lots of Boardwalk area bustle — was significantly more quiet than in previous years.

According to a monthly data release from the Employment and Development Department of the California government, the Santa Cruz unemployment rate was 13.6 percent for the month of March 2009. This figure is 2 percent higher than the statewide average and 4.6 percent higher than the national average. The number has increased over the last few months and is higher than last year’s estimate for the period, at 8.3 percent. As a result, over 20,000 citizens are unemployed in Santa Cruz County.