The Land Manager Housing and Workforce Improvement Act of 2025 aims to improve workforce housing, expand partnership capacity, support the workforce, and enhance oversight for federal land management agencies.
John Barrasso
Senator
WY
The Land Manager Housing and Workforce Improvement Act of 2025 aims to improve workforce housing for the National Park Service and Forest Service, expand partnership capacity for park management, and streamline hiring processes within these agencies. It also mandates comprehensive needs assessments and oversight reports to Congress regarding workforce housing and emergency spending. This will be achieved through measures such as allowing land acquisition for employee housing, extending permit durations for workforce housing infrastructure, and providing hiring flexibility for the Department of Agriculture. The goal is to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of park management while supporting the well-being of federal land management employees.
New Bill Allows Park Service & Forest Service to Build Housing Off-Site, Streamlines Hiring Through 2030
Dealing with the high cost and low availability of housing near national parks and forests is a major headache for federal land managers. The Land Manager Housing and Workforce Improvement Act of 2025 tackles this head-on by giving agencies like the National Park Service (NPS) and the Forest Service more tools to house their employees.
Unlocking Housing Options
A key change is allowing the NPS to acquire up to 20 acres of land near park boundaries specifically for employee housing (Sec. 102). This land wouldn't be part of the park itself but could host housing built or managed by the NPS or partners. Think apartment complexes or small housing developments just outside the park gates. The bill also broadens how NPS can use rental income from existing housing, allowing funds for new construction and development, not just maintenance (Sec. 104). Similarly, the Forest Service gets more flexibility, like extending permits for housing on their lands up to 50 years (Sec. 105).
Teamwork for Homes and Hiring
The legislation encourages collaboration. It explicitly allows agencies to partner with states, Tribes, local governments, and philanthropic groups to develop and manage workforce housing (Sec. 201, 202, 203). This could mean joint projects or leveraging outside funds to get housing built faster. On the staffing front, the bill aims to cut hiring hurdles. Until September 30, 2030, agencies can use a direct hiring authority for certain field positions (GS-9 or WG-15 and below) located near agency sites, bypassing some standard competitive processes (Sec. 301). For seasonal NPS staff, rehiring is made easier by removing the need to be rehired in the same commuting area (Sec. 302), offering more flexibility for returning workers.
Keeping Tabs on Progress
To ensure these changes work, the bill mandates scrutiny. Within 18 months, agencies must report to Congress detailing their current housing inventory, employee needs (permanent vs. seasonal), and the state of local private housing markets, including the impact of vacation rentals (Sec. 401). Another report from the Comptroller General will assess how existing budget rules affect housing efforts and recommend improvements (Sec. 402). This oversight aims to track whether the new authorities are effectively addressing the housing crunch for the people managing public lands.