This is the 60-day advance notice for Forest Service employees currently receiving the temporary rent refund for government housing, which is slated to end on April 5, 2025.    

On Dec. 17, 2024, the Office of Management and Budget published a revision to Circular A-45R: Rental and Construction of Government Housing to address rising rent costs and improve the affordability of government housing for federal employees. These new federal-wide changes, driven by employee feedback, will reduce rental rates for many. As a result, the temporary housing refund, which was implemented to provide short-term relief, is slated to end on April 5, 2025.  

We implemented a temporary rent refund using the Secretary’s emergency authority to address these challenges in the short term. At the same time, we worked with OMB and the U.S. Department of the Interior to make long-lasting changes to the Circular OMB A-45R. As noted in the Dec. 17 Inside the Forest Service article, these changes are the result of a collective effort, driven by your voices, that will result in reduced rental rates for many employees living in government housing.  

Now that the changes to OMB Circular A-45R have been published, we are working with the Department of Interior to implement the changes. We will keep you updated on any major changes that could affect the implementation timeline.    

We will be holding information sessions this spring to explain the updates and answer any questions you may have. We also have FAQs available for reference.    

Thank you for making a difference and for your continued commitment to delivering our mission. 

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