Yellowstone National Park (YNP) announced Wednesday a multi-million dollar initiative to improve housing for park employees.
A YNP news release said the initiative will focus on four goals, the first of which is to replace 64 outdated trailers in substandard condition that require immediate replacement. Slightly more than half will be replaced this year, with the remaining trailers scheduled to be replaced in 2021.
All the trailers will be replaced with high-quality modular cabins in existing developed areas, according to the release.
The second goal of the initiative is to improve the condition of 150 non-trailer, non-historic housing units. Between 2020 and 2023, the park plans improvements for these units including roofing and siding replacements, new flooring and better insulation, and improved heating systems.
YNP also plans to rehabilitate deteriorating historic homes as a third goal of the initiative, several of which date back to the late 1800s.
According to the news release, YNP has seen a 45% increase in visitors since 2000. To meet the staffing needs that come with rising visitation, the park plans to add new housing capacity as a fourth goal of the new initiative.
YNP is currently assessing how many additional housing units will be required.
The release stated the park will undertake any necessary consultation for planned projects, and all projects will adhere to the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act and National Historic Preservation Act.
