Oregon Public Broadcasting

Hundreds of Northwest residents may be priced out of cabins they own on national forest land.

That's according to Washington Republican Congressman Doc Hastings. In a hearing on Capitol Hill Thursday, he said the Forest Service is charging too much rent for the land under the cabins.

Seattle resident Dick Almy's family built a cabin on national forest land near Lake Wenatchee more than 50 years ago.

It pays the government about $1400 rent per year. But the Forest Service jacked it up to $17,000 after reappraising the land. The agency says that's closer to the fair market value.

But Almy and other cabin owners say rent hikes like that will force many of them to abandon their cabins. They say only the rich will be able to afford them.

Washington Representative Doc Hastings told a House subcommittee that he wants to replace the agency's appraisals with a tiered rent system that's less volatile. 

Doc Hastings: "The purpose of this bill is to keep the fees affordable for these people who are average Americans: factory workers, retirees, teachers. Of course, that won't happen unless we address this problem."

A Forest Service official says the agency needs a system that discourages cabin owners from trying to profit from the sale of their cabins.