military housing office

Military Housing Office - A sign outside Camp Pendleton's Joint Housing Office displays the names of government and private contractors involved in housing families on base. (Jeff Nyhart/Marine Corps)

After widespread criticism of how they have maintained the military base they operate in, five companies have formed a new coalition to represent their interests. And others have increased the amount they spend lobbying Congress.

Military Housing Office

One of their first steps in this coalition, called the Military Housing Association, has been to meet and send letters to congressional staff opposing some of the proposed military housing reforms. That has raised concerns among some advocates, who are already alarmed by the Trump administration's opposition to the change.

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The Trump administration "strongly opposes" the sweeping changes outlined in the Senate bill, according to their Sept. 4 letter to the armed services committees. It identifies issues of changing the terms of existing legal contracts with privatized companies.

Lawmakers heard testimony from military families earlier this year about mold, lead paint, water leaks and damage, pests and many other problems in their military housing; their frustration at their housing company's adaptation to accommodate them; and the lack of support from the military in solving their problems. In a survey earlier this year conducted by the Military Family Counseling Network, more than half of the 14,558 individualized residents who responded reported having had a negative experience with their housing.

The Military Housing Association, formed this year, includes the largest private housing companies -- Balfour Beatty Communities, Corvias, Hunt Military Communities, Lendlease Communities and Lincoln Military Housing, according to a spokesman for the organization, who declined to be named. The companies contacted referred questions to S-3 Public Affairs, which is a subsidiary of S-3 Group, also a lobbying firm.

The new association's primary goal "is to provide high-quality housing, community services and responsible property management to improve the lives of service members and their families living in privatized military housing communities," the spokesman said. answering questions about. the purpose and direction of the party and the actions taken.

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When housing problems became apparent, defense and utility officials worked with private housing companies to solve the problems immediately. Housing companies have taken a number of steps to improve service, including hiring more staff, adding more contractors, finding more transparent and efficient ways to handle work orders and listening directly to tenants' concerns in councils and informal meetings. , the spokesman said.

Committee staff contacted by Military Times declined to comment, citing the ongoing negotiation process as House and Senate lawmakers reconcile differences in their proposals.

But Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., who has been vocal about his concerns about housing problems for military families, said it's ultimately about fixing the problem.

Kaine "values ​​the input of anyone affected by the proposed changes," said Sarah Peck, Kaine's spokeswoman. "However, his first priority is to ensure that military families no longer have to endure dangerous conditions in their homes, and this will inform the policies he supports."

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Some of the proposals would be "legally and practically impossible to implement," the Trump administration's Office of Management and Budget letter said. The proposals will also create unfunded needs; and, to the extent that the measures could be implemented, they would be "overly prescriptive and burdensome," officials said.

"The provisions mistakenly assume that housing project agencies function as DOJ contractors and that legislation can change the terms and conditions of previously executed statutory agreements."

The administration's statement is very troubling, if in fact the law could not change legal agreements made with housing companies, said Eryn Wagnon, director of government relations for the American Military Officers Association. "As [the Army inspector general] said, these contracting structures present unique challenges for the Army and all the services, and they are very corporate friendly."

Wagnon also expressed his concern that the administration's position could make some lawmakers afraid to push through important and important provisions, and that housing companies' positions on key parts of the bill could also present an obstacle.

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Still, Wagnon said, "We are very confident that the armed services committees are taking into account what they heard from the families through the hearings and through the records, and that they are looking out for the families' interests."

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The Military Housing Association supports several provisions in the bill, such as those requiring a tenant's bill of rights, dispute resolution processes and the appointment of chief housing officers. But they objected to six provisions, including one that would have allowed the military to renegotiate privatized housing contracts at least every five years.

In a position letter to House and Senate Armed Services Committee staff, the Military Housing Association said that if the agreements were to be structured as five-year contracts instead of the current 50-year deal, it could affect the company's ability to operate on a daily basis.future renovation or new home construction and may set a precedent that will make it more difficult to obtain private sector financing in the future.

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A search of the nonprofit Center for Policy's OpenSecrets.org website shows that about five members of the Military Housing Association have increased their lobbying spending this year. For example, Balfour Beatty Communities increased spending on lobbying housebuilders from $20,000 in 2018 to $120,000 as of July 24 this year. But, it's worth noting, Balfour Beatty Communities includes more than military housing, such as other multi-family communities and student communities, so it's unclear if there were military issues of interest. No lobbying expenses were mentioned for 2017.

Lincoln Military Housing has already increased its real estate lobbying spending by 57 percent in the first seven months of 2019, compared to all of 2018. They have spent $220,000 through July 24, compared to $140,000 in 2018 No lobbying. costs were listed for 2017.

Corvias Military Living is ready to use what it has done in the last two years on the impact of "multiple protection". They have spent $60,000 since July 24, compared to $120,000 in each of the past two years.

Lendlease is also building on last year's numbers, spending $120,000 in the first seven months of 2019 lobbying general contractors, compared with $240,000 in all of 2018 and $160,000 in 2017. The company also has a larger footprint. extensive lobbying. somewhere other than a military residence.

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Hunt's companies are spending less on real estate lobbying so far this year: $160,000 in the first seven months, compared with $575,000 in all of 2018. In 2017, the company spent $160,000. The company has been named in legal matters. presented by military families at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. (Note: Military Hunt Communities are part of larger hunting companies.)

Karen has covered military families, quality of life and consumer issues for Military Times for more than 30 years and co-authored the chapter on military family media coverage in the book The Battle Plan to Help Military Families. He previously worked for newspapers in Guam, Norfolk, Jacksonville, Fla., and Athens, Ga.

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