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).