× Thanks for reading! Log in to continue. Enjoy more articles by logging in or creating a free account. No credit card required. Log in Sign up {{featured_button_text}}

Now that it's fully activated, the federal prison in Thomson, Ill. is looking to bulk up its workforce.

But some officials worry holding career fairs and offering sign-on bonuses is not enough to attract 200 new employees to work in the small town. And it's even harder, according to a letter from the warden, to entice workers to live locally, whether in Thomson or surrounding communities.

"As our staffing levels continue to grow, the demand for homes and other amenities also increase," Warden Donald Hudson wrote in a letter to community members. "Affordable and desirable housing along with good quality schools and daycare centers determine where the Bureau of Prisons' staff reside. They need apartments, rental houses, starter homes and larger homes for their expanding families."

The state of Illinois sold the Thomson prison to the federal government in 2012, and for years, it's operated far below capacity. The prison started slowly ramping up hiring in 2015.

Vicky Trager, president of the village of Thomson, said the new hires at the prison — Thomson's largest employer — have boosted sales for some businesses in the community.