Generous, Anonymous Donation Transforms National Park’s Housing Crisis

An anonymous and generous donation will considerably improve the housing issues the staff at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, United States, face every year.

“This transformational gift will meet a critical need for new housing in Yellowstone and be a catalyst for more philanthropic investment,” claims Will Shafroth, CEO of the National Park Foundation (NPF). “These skilled, dedicated professionals […] deserve housing they can be proud to call home.”

Some 15,600 people rely on housing in and around national parks, including the 2,800 permanent National Park Service (NPS) and 5,000 seasonal employees. During the peak of tourist season, Yellowstone has some 3,000 employees on payroll, but the lack of available – and affordable – units complicates the hiring process. Affordable housing is deficient and expensive, partly due to rising property values close to national parks and increasing visitor vacation rental demand. Unnamed donors have given $40 million through NPF, covering the addition of more than 70 modular housing units in Yellowstone in northwest Wyoming; construction is set to start this year. “The housing challenges facing each park are unique, as are the solutions. […] I am incredibly grateful to the donors to NPF, whose tremendous generosity will help NPS address this critical need,” states the service’s director, Chuck Sams.