S 1083119th CongressIn Committee

Land Manager Housing and Workforce Improvement Act of 2025

Introduced: Mar 14, 2025

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The Land Manager Housing and Workforce Improvement Act of 2025 is a Senate bill aimed at expanding and modernizing housing and workforce programs for federal land management agencies (National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Forest Service). Its core purpose is to reduce housing shortages for permanent and seasonal staff, improve recruitment and retention, and broaden the set of tools and partnerships agencies can use to provide workforce housing. It would authorize targeted land acquisition near system units, broaden rental options and use of rental receipts, extend housing-related authorities to the Forest Service, and authorize public-private and philanthropic partnerships. The bill also creates workforce-focused recruitment provisions, strengthens oversight and reporting, and sets sunset dates for certain authorities (through 2030). In short, the bill seeks to provide more flexible, collaborative, and long-term options for housing and workforce support for land managers, with a heavy emphasis on off-park housing, partnerships, and improved governance and reporting.

Key Points

1Expanded authority for National Park Service housing
2- Allows the NPS to acquire up to 20 acres near system unit boundaries specifically for the development, construction, maintenance, or operation of field-employee housing.
3- Grants management authority over such land (not treated as part of the system unit) and permits exclusive leases and related arrangements; proceeds from disposal of unused land go to a dedicated fund for housing program needs.
4Expanded rental options and use of rental receipts
5- Recasts NPS rental authority to cover “development, construction, maintenance, or operation” of field-employee quarters (not just management/repair).
6- Creates a dedicated use for rental receipts (through a described special fund) to support housing development and operations.
7Forest Service housing authorities expanded
8- Updates the Granger-Thye Act to allow longer-term (30 years, or 50 years for workforce housing) housing-related structures or infrastructure as appropriate.
9- Modifies conveyance processes to improve the ability to repurpose Forest Service administrative sites (and adjusts bidding requirements for certain conveyances).
10Expanded partnership and funding mechanisms
11- Encourages cooperative management agreements with States, Indian Tribes, or local governments, including co-location of offices and staff and the ability to assign or extend federal or partner staff to work on adjacent park lands.
12- Broadens philanthropic and organizational involvement to include tribes, private organizations, and individuals, and allows a wider mix of fundraising approaches (cash, services, durable goods).
13Workforce supports and sunset provisions
14- Creates a pathway to recruit and directly appoint individuals who maintain permanent residence near a field site for entry-level federal positions (below certain pay grades) with appointment standards aligned to merit principles; authority ends September 30, 2030.
15- For seasonal work, relaxes noncompetitive rehire eligibility rules by defining a major subdivision for NPS and removing the “same local commuting area” requirement (sunsets 2030).
16Reports, oversight, and emergency spending
17- Requires a joint needs assessment within 18 months to analyze housing owned/leased by agencies, occupancy by permanent vs. seasonal staff, and local housing market conditions around field units.
18- Requires a GAO report within 18 months reviewing the impact of OMB Circular A-45R and A-11 (and other guidance) on housing for the workforce, plus suggested actions to improve tenant experience, housing supply, financing, public-private partnerships, philanthropy, and commuting considerations.
19- Calls for a strengthened emergency subsistence reporting framework (with a defined reporting timeline, except in certain emergencies) to justify and quantify emergency housing-related support.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- Federal land management workforce (NPS, BLM, FWS, Forest Service), including both permanent staff and seasonal workers, who will gain expanded housing options, recruitment pathways, and potential relocation/assignment possibilities.Secondary group/area affected- Gateway and nearby communities around system units, which may experience changes in housing demand, prices, and commuting patterns.- Tribal partners, state and local governments, and philanthropic organizations that participate in cooperative management, funding, and housing initiatives.Additional impacts- Local housing markets and rental availability near system units.- Agency budgeting and long-term capital planning due to new authorities for land acquisition, housing construction, and longer-term leases.- Oversight and policy development related to federal housing guidance (OMB Circulars A-45R and A-11) and related governance structures.- Potential shifts in funding and administration of housing programs via public-private partnerships and philanthropic support.Several authorities include sunset language, with most new workforce housing authorities terminating on September 30, 2030 (Titles III, Sec. 301 and 302). Other provisions may remain in effect unless amended.The bill’s definitions explicitly cover four agencies (NPS, BLM, FWS, Forest Service) and identify “appropriate committees of Congress” for oversight. The term “Secretary” refers to the Secretary of the Interior for the land management agencies covered by the bill.

Generated by gpt-5-nano on Oct 31, 2025