Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department

PROJECT PURPOSE

Development of affordable housing for workforce in and around select Oklahoma State Parks. Areas surrounding rural parks lack housing affordable to park employees, park concession employees and other tourism industry workers who support the economy in communities surrounding the parks..

EVIDENCE

OTRD, concessionaires and tourism-related businesses in rural communities surrounding parks are have difficulties finding employees. One major problem is the lack of affordable housing, especially near parks such as Beavers Bend.

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

Tourism employees in some rural communities are being priced out of housing. This is especially true in McCurtain County, where much of the housing is serving tourists and priced much higher than what the local workforce can afford.

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

OTRD has a capital projects team that manages the agency's construction projects. We will utilize an existing design-build contract to implement ARPA-funded capital projects.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

One-time project will not need continued funding