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Many homebuilders use the words 鈥渃autiously optimistic鈥� to describe their hopes as their industry emerges from the recession.

However, Gordon Root, president of the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Portland, said his optimism is becoming less cautious. He鈥檚 positively excited.

鈥淥h, absolutely,鈥� Root said. 鈥淧ermits are up. Sales are up. It鈥檚 been astounding. We saw the housing market turn on a dime in April.鈥�

Paul Barnum, executive director of the , said the numbers in a new report support Root鈥檚 excitement. According to the 2012 Forest Report, prepared by the institute, the number of housing permits issued in Oregon is up at least 24 percent over August 2011.

Barnum may not be quite as giddy as Root.

鈥淲e鈥檙e cautiously optimistic that things are getting better,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e are trending in the right direction. Everyone just wants to make sure there鈥檚 not a hiccup on the way to recovery.鈥�

Karla Holland, communications director for , said the commercial construction industry remains in the teeth of the recession.

鈥淐ommercial construction is still very slow,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 been nothing notable in terms of improvement.鈥�

Root said one of the biggest problems is that banks are still skittish about lending money to buyers and builders, he said.

鈥淚f financing were more available, there would be a lot more homes built,鈥� he added.

Oregon鈥檚 homebuilding industry still faces a long road to recovery, Barnum warned.

鈥淚t’s been painful for people, and folks are weary about hiring people back, but if the housing sector continues to improve, we’ll see improvement,鈥� he said.

鈥淔or every silver lining, however, there is a dark cloud,鈥� he added. 鈥淭he one thing that could hold us back is the lack of timber supply. Federal lands have declined since the Northwest Forest Plan. Many forests are actually unhealthy and could use harvesting. We could be in a situation where the recovery could just slip by Oregon if we don’t have a stable timber supply.鈥�

Even without additional harvests, however, Root said his excitement level remains high.

鈥淚t’s going to be a sustained recovery,鈥� he predicted. 鈥淚t’s been a rough four years in the building industry, so this is a welcome recovery.鈥�