National Park Service

The National Park Service, which has been housing park employees since 1916, now has an inventory of about 5,200 housing units. Park Service records suggest that about 40 percent of this inventory is in "good" or "excellent" condition, needing no more than routine maintenance; about 15 percent was rated "poor" to "obsolete," requiring extensive repairs. Most of the Park Service housing is used to shelter (1) seasonal employees, (2) permanent employees at isolated parks, and (3) permanent employees at more-accessible parks who provide visitor services or protect government property. GAO questioned the justification for about 12 percent of the units. For example, at 11 nonisolated parks GAO visited, park managers subjectively determined the need for housing instead of relying on an analysis of local housing availability, as required by Park Service guidance. GAO could not verify the accuracy of the Park Service's $546 million estimate for employee housing repair and replacement. Park Service officials claim that a sizable backlog of repairs exists because rental income has covered only about half of all maintenance costs and operating funds have not been enough to make up the difference. Rental income has been limited because (1) the Park Service reduces its rates because of factors such as isolation and lack of amenities and (2) Congress has set a cap on rental rate increases.

GAO found that: (1) as of 1992, 40 percent of the Park Service's employee housing was in good condition and required only routine maintenance, 45 percent was in fair condition and required minor repairs, and 15 percent was in poor condition and required major interior and structural repairs; (2) the Park Service adequately justified 88 percent of its employee housing, since the housing was needed for seasonal and permanent employees, at isolated and non-isolated parks, who provide necessary visitors services or protect government property; (3) the Park Service could not adequately justify 12 percent of its employee housing for permanent employees at non-isolated parks; (4) the Park Service could not explain how it determined its $546-million estimate for employee housing repair and replacement costs; (5) the Park Service did not provide adequate guidance to regional offices and park units on estimate preparation; (6) a sizable backlog of housing repairs exists because rental incomes and operating funds are not sufficient to cover maintenance costs; and (7) Congress has imposed a limit on rental rate increases to lessen the impact of sharp rent increases.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

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