Friends of Acadia has announced a $10 million fundraising campaign, aimed at addressing the shortage of housing for seasonal staff.
The organization began fundraising about a year ago, and has raised more than $7 million, which will be used to leverage additional federal money.
Housing has become a serious barrier for hiring staff, said park superintendent Kevin Schneider, but it’s especially difficult for seasonal workers who only need it for only a few months.
“Housing is critical for us at Acadia National Park. If we don’t have a house, we won’t be able to have a seasonal employee. That’s really what it amounts to,” he said. “It is impossible for somebody to find a place to live for the six months summer season if we can’t provide housing for them.”
In recent years, about 30 percent of the park’s seasonal positions were unfilled, in part because housing is so difficult for workers to find.
The funds will be used to build workforce housing on sites already owned by the national park. That means the park isn’t competing with the local community for much-needed housing space, said Kevin Schneider, Friends of Acadia president.
“It will be a boon to the national park, to the amazing staff there, for the four million visitors, and we’re not taking land away from other community solutions,” Schneider said.
The project is expected to create 60 additional beds for workers.
This article appears through a media partnership with Maine Public.
