CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
The Air Force is currently in the process of privatizing nearly all its inventory of continental U.S. housing as part of the largest quality of life investment in Air Force history.
Senior Air Force leadership has shown strong support for housing privatization, particularly in light of the fact the Air Force is getting new or renovated housing much more quickly than if the Air Force had to pay for it. For example, in fiscal year 2009, the Air Force accepted, on average, 500 new or newly renovated homes each month at privatized bases.
The Air Force plans to choose Charleston AFB's housing developer by June 2010 and have the deal negotiated and final by March 2011, said Lt. Col. Richard Sanders, 437th Civil Engineer Squadron commander. A housing privatization town hall in late January or early February of 2010 is expected.
Following housing privatization in March 2011, new improvements will be made in the quality of the Charleston AFB housing inventory, based on the observations of Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Carrol Chandler and Air Force Civil Engineer Brig. Gen. Timothy Byers.
The leaders' goals were recently highlighted at the Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment's Housing Privatization Workshop held Nov. 17 to 18 in San Antonio, providing valuable information and lessons learned to date.
The conference began with a briefing from General Chandler, providing his view from the top, followed by comments from General Byers, who stressed the importance of getting the privatization deals done correctly to provide the most benefit to Airmen. Both senior leaders stressed the importance of providing desirable housing and the positive effect it can have on retaining quality Airmen. General Byers said housing privatization is the biggest quality-of-life boost in Air Force history.
"Great things are on the horizon for Charleston's military family housing," said Colonel Sanders. "For Team Charleston, the Air Force will exchange our military family housing to a private developer for the basic allowance for housing of its occupants.
"Current Charleston residents will see very little impact initially, except that you'll be paid your BAH and then be required to give the BAH to the developer," the colonel added. "You should have no out-of-pocket expenses that you don't already have."
As part of these complex privatization agreements, the Air Force will typically require the developer to provide a certain number of new or renovated homes, both near term and long term, he said.
For Charleston, initial calculations indicate between 150 and 250 renovated homes and about 120 new homes.
"Though these early figures are not final, one thing is sure, housing on Charleston will definitely be getting better," said Colonel Sanders.
For questions related to housing privatization, call Stephen Campbell, Charleston AFB Housing Facility Chief, at 963-3860.