STATE-OWNED HOUSING

SUMMARY: There is no quantifiable customer service benefit from housing. DNR leadership engaged with staff
throughout 2021 to reach this conclusion. Parks with and without housing are equivalently safe, supported, and
maintained. Additionally, only one-third of Iowa’s state parks have housing. Maintenance is very expensive and
competes with public amenities for funding. Therefore, DNR has decided to terminate housing. Staff were given one
year’s notice to vacate.

Background
There are 71 state parks and forests across Iowa. 23 locations have occupied houses. The Parks, Forestry, and Preserves
Bureau (Bureau) has approximately 116 employees, with 26 residing in housing (a few locations have two houses). There
are four classifications of employees in housing. The breakdown is as follows: Rangers – 12; Park Managers – 10; Park
Technicians – 3; Carpenter – 1.

Two-thirds of state parks and forests do not have staff living on site. Employees with and without housing are assigned
the same work duties and have the same performance expectations. Employees of the same classification are subject to
the same pay scale even if they are provided free housing.

Staff participated in a housing/customer service assessment over the spring and summer of 2021. This assessment
showed that all essential services are equivalently provided at locations with and without state housing. There is no
measurable difference to a park’s operation, security, or safety from housing.

Staffing
Housing has not been a factor in deciding which job classifications and how many are dedicated to a particular park.
Rather, that decision has been based on the park’s specific operational needs. Because housing has not factored into
staffing, its absence will not require a change. This is because housing is not located by design; houses are either
historical 1930s Civilian Conservation Corps structures or happened to be on a parcel upon acquisition.

Additionally, all staff, including law enforcement, will continue to work their normal hours and be available for
emergency response. Rangers work in shifts to provide more law enforcement presence. State and county dispatches
are aware of the local rangers’ schedules and always know who to contact. Whoever is on duty is the point of contact
for an emergency, not whoever lives in the park or nearest to the park.

Deferred and on-going maintenance

Housing repairs and updates are paid for by the DNR’s Capitals account, which is the source of funding for campgrounds,
shelters, and restrooms. These public amenities have long been prioritized over staff housing, resulting in significant
deferred maintenance and deteriorating conditions. At this time, the estimate to complete all known housing repairs
and code compliance updates is approximately $2,000,000. Additionally, after completing these repairs, housing
maintenance would require budgeting at least $2,500/year per house, adjusted upwards overtime for inflation.

National Trend
Many other state park systems across the country are eliminating on-site housing. Even the National Park Service is
scaling back its staff housing. Free and mandatory housing is no longer the standard model.

Recruitment and Retention

The DNR does not anticipate an impact to employee recruitment or retention from this policy change. Housing has only
been available to a small percentage of employees yet there has always been robust interest and enthusiasm for
conservation and recreation jobs.

For additional information, please contact Todd Coffelt, Legislative Liaison, at todd.coffelt@dnr.iowa.gov or at 515-330.9204.
www.IowaDNR.gov