LODGE Act

To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to enter into partnerships to develop housing, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Lodging Options Developed for Government Employees Act LODGE Act 2. Housing partnerships; occupancy Subchapter III of chapter 1013 (1) by amending section 101331 to read as follows: 101331. Definitions In this subchapter: (1) Field employee The term field employee (A) an employee of the Service who is exclusively assigned by the Service to perform duties at a System unit, and the members of the employee’s family; (B) an individual performing duties at the System unit who is employed by a Service concession, partnership, educational, or conservation organization, whose work supports the mission of the System unit, and the members of the individual’s family; (C) an individual who is authorized to occupy Federal Government quarters under section 5911 of title 5 in the vicinity of the System unit, including individuals who are employees of other Federal agencies, and the members of the individual’s family; or (D) an employee of the Federal Government who is— (i) eligible to live in government housing; and (ii) not an employee of the Service. (2) Fundamental resources The term fundamental resources (3) Housing accommodation project The term housing accommodation project (4) Housing partnership agreement The term housing partnership agreement (5) Housing units The term housing units (6) Member of the public The term member of the public (7) Primary resource values The term primary resource values (8) Public lands The term public lands (9) Quarters The term quarters (A) provided by the Federal Government; or (B) developed or leased by the Federal Government in accordance with a housing partnership agreement, lease, or contract under this subchapter. ; (2) in section 101332— (A) in subsection (a)(2), by— (i) striking rates affordable rates (ii) by inserting , unless otherwise authorized, at rates based (B) in subsection (c)— (i) by inserting under the administrative jurisdiction of the Service any land (ii) by inserting or fundamental resources primary resource value (C) in subsection (d), by inserting , unless otherwise authorized, that are based (3) in section 101333, by inserting or affordability lack of availability (4) by amending section 101334 to read as follows: 101334. Authorization for housing accommodation projects (a) In general The Secretary may, pursuant to the authorities contained in this subchapter and subject to the appropriation of necessary funds in advance, enter into housing partnership agreements with other Federal agencies, State or local governments, Tribal Governments, housing entities, or other public or private organizations, for the purposes of facilitating housing accommodation projects for rent to field employees and members of the public— (1) on public lands, including System units; (2) off public lands in the vicinity of System units; or (3) a combination of public lands described in paragraphs (1) and (2). (b) Terms and conditions (1) National park lands For any housing partnership agreements for housing accommodation projects on lands under the administrative jurisdiction of the Service, the Secretary shall— (A) ensure the housing accommodation project and the use thereof are in conformity with the approved plans, including housing management plans, for the System unit and Director’s Orders and reference manuals related to Service housing; (B) ensure that the location of the housing accommodation project will avoid degradation to the primary resource values and fundamental resources within the System unit, and will not adversely affect the mission of the Service; (C) ensure the entities responsible for the housing accommodation project comply with applicable law and policies, including the provisions of this subchapter; (D) identify the funding to be used in performing the housing accommodation project; (E) provide standards that must be met, as applicable, to ensure that the housing accommodation project, including related facilities and infrastructure, are kept in good condition and repair; and (F) that the agreements include any other terms and conditions the Secretary may consider advisable to protect the interests of the United States. (2) Other public or private lands For any housing partnership agreements for housing accommodation projects on other public or private lands located in the vicinity of the relevant System unit and not under the administrative jurisdiction of the Service, the Secretary shall ensure the agreements— (A) have received the approval of each appropriate State or local government, Tribal Government, or other public or private entity involved; (B) identify both the Federal and non-Federal funding to be used in completing the housing and related facilities; and (C) any other terms and conditions the Secretary may consider advisable to protect the interests of the United States. (c) Housing occupancy (1) In general The Secretary may allow field employees and members of the public to occupy and lease housing accommodation project quarters. (2) Compliance Members of the public occupying quarters shall be subject to the same laws and policies with which field employees are required to comply, as applicable. (3) Prohibition Field employees and members of the public shall be prohibited from subleasing housing units or quarters developed or leased in accordance with a housing partnership agreement under this section, including all forms of short-term rentals. (4) Preference To the maximum extent practicable, priority for occupancy in project quarters shall be given to field employees. (d) Contracting procedures Each housing partnership agreement awarded pursuant to this section shall be awarded through the use of publicly advertised, competitively bid, or competitively negotiated procedures, unless the Secretary— (1) determines that it is in the public interest to use procedures other than competitive procedures with respect to the particular housing partnership agreement concerned; and (2) notifies, in writing, the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives of such determinations and the rationale for such determination (e) Rent (1) Collection The Secretary may collect, or may authorize entities who have entered into partnership housing agreements under this section to collect, rents directly from field employees and members of the public occupying housing units or quarters. (2) Rates For field employees, rent collected under this subsection may not exceed the rates determined pursuant to guidance in the document entitled Circular No. A–45 Revised (f) Expiration of agreements (1) Within system units The Secretary may allow long-term leases or term-limited ownership of housing units or quarters on public lands, as appropriate, to facilitate the ability of an entity with whom a housing partnership agreement has been entered into under subsection (b) to secure financing. (2) Expiration of term on public lands (A) In general Upon expiration of a term of ownership under paragraph (1), the Secretary may— (i) renew the housing partnership agreement for terms not to exceed 10 years; (ii) require the entity with whom a housing partnership agreement has been entered into under subsection (a) to demolish the housing accommodations and related facilities and infrastructure, and restore the land to conditions generally existing before construction on the lands upon which the housing accommodation project is located without any cost to the Federal Government; (iii) take ownership of the housing accommodations and related facilities and infrastructure, including fixtures and personal property necessary for the operation of the property; or (iv) enter into a new housing partnership agreement. (B) Covering costs If taking ownership of buildings under subparagraph (A)(ii), the Secretary may require the owner whose term of ownership is expiring to cover costs associated with preparing the building site for new or continued use. (3) On non-federal lands Upon expiration of a housing partnership agreement for housing accommodations on non-Federal lands, the Secretary may extend the housing partnership agreement for terms not to exceed 10 years. ; (5) in section 101335— (A) in subsection (a)— (i) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking 50 60 (ii) in paragraph (2)— (I) by striking procedures. procedures, unless— (II) by adding at the end the following: (A) the lease is awarded to a nonprofit or government entity; or (B) the Secretary determines that it is in the public interest to use procedures other than competitive procedures in the particular lease concerned and notifies, in writing, the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives of such determination and the rationale for such determination. ; and (iii) in paragraph (3)(D), by inserting , affordability, improve the quality (B) in subsection (b)— (i) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3); and (ii) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following: (2) Terms and conditions Any arrangement made pursuant to this subsection shall contain such terms and conditions as the Secretary considers necessary or appropriate to protect the interests of the United States and ensure that necessary quarters are available to field employees. ; and (C) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (3); (6) in section 101336, by inserting rehabilitation, repair, (7) by amending section 101338 to read as follows: 101338. General provisions (a) Exemptions The following provisions shall not apply to leases contracts, or housing partnership agreements awarded by the Secretary under this subchapter: (1) Sections 102102 and 102901 of this title. (2) Section 1302 of title 40. (b) Proceeds from leases The proceeds from any lease or housing partnership agreement under this subchapter from which the Service directly collects the proceeds shall be retained by the Service and deposited in the special fund established for repair, maintenance, rehabilitation, and operations of housing units and quarters and associated facilities and infrastructure. ; and (8) in section 101340— (A) by amending subsection (a) to strike , in sequential order, (B) by amending subsection (b) to read as follows: (b) Annual budget submittal Each fiscal year, the President’s proposed budget to Congress shall include— (1) identification of non-construction funds to be spent for Service housing maintenance and operations that are in addition to rental receipts collected; (2) the use of each of the authorities provided to the Service under this subchapter; (3) the number of additional housing units needed within the National Park System; (4) any barriers that have been identified to providing the needed housing; and (5) any recommendations for changes to existing authorities that would help to remove those barriers. . December 30, 2022 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

Summary: Lodging Options Developed for Government Employees Act or the LODGE Act This bill expands the current authority of the Department of the Interior to enter into agreements with housing entities to provide rental housing for employees. The bill allows Interior to enter agreements with other federal agencies, state or local governments, tribal governments, or other public or private organizations for purposes of facilitating housing accommodation projects for rent to field employees and members of the public on public lands, including National Park System units; off public lands in the vicinity of system units; or on a combination of such lands. Interior may allow field employees and members of the public to occupy and lease project quarters. Field employees and members of the public shall be prohibited from subleasing housing units or quarters developed or leased in accordance with a housing partnership agreement under this bill, including all forms of short-term rentals. To the maximum extent practicable, priority for occupancy in project quarters shall be given to field employees. Interior may collect, or authorize entities who have entered into partnership housing agreements under this bill to collect, rents directly from field employees and members of the public occupying housing units or quarters. The bill modifies the lease-to-build program to allow Interior to lease federal land and interests in land to qualified persons for the construction of field employee quarters for any period not to exceed 60 years (under current law not to exceed 50 years).