For Acadia Employees, It’s Nearly Impossible To Find Affordable Housing Near The Park

Emily Nelson knew what she was up against when she applied for a permanent job at Acadia National Park earlier this spring. Park officials warned her of the housing challenges as soon as she began interviewing for the position. When the 23-year-old got hired, she scoured real estate listings, contacted property owners directly and enlisted the help of her parents and her new supervisor at the park. She found plenty of weekly vacation listings and summer rentals, but Nelson said most were way out of her price range. “I remember being frustrated, because so many of these could be year-round rentals,” she said. Eventually, Nelson posted a plea for help on a Facebook page dedicated to helping renters and landlords find year-round housing or tenants on Mount Desert Island. The comments, Nelson said, were discouraging. “After I had posted a lot of people were like, ‘You won’t find anything.