Housing: On-Base or Off?

December 31, 2009
In the modern day military nearly 90% of CONUS military families live in civilian housing off-base. With that said, at certain duty stations, on-base housing is the best (or only) option available. When deciding between on- or off-base housing (which includes condos, apartments, town homes, etc.) military families usually look at the cost of living, local schools, types of housing available and the wait-time for on-base housing. 

Living on base has many perks. It’s convenient, you’re in a military community that supports one another, close to your service member’s work and a relatively safe environment. The downside to base living is that same tight-knit community that’s so great when you’re looking to borrow a cup of sugar can sometimes lead to gossipy neighbors and seem claustrophobic. Suddenly, you’re surrounded by people your husband works with, both when he’s on the clock, and off.

The biggest challenge service members face when considering CONUS base housing is dealing with the bureaucratic mess that accompanies it.  To start the process, service members put their names on a list at the Housing Office, to be selected for the housing available for their rank (regardless of where on base that rank’s housing is or where your service member works.)  Some duty stations do not allow you place your name on the list until you arrive in an area. Of course, this leaves lots of military families looking for temporary homes while waiting to hear on permanent housing, so it’s worth giving the Housing Office a call just to check in and see what their policy is. Some of the bases will let you place your name on a pending wait list that is activated once you arrive (similar to the policies regarding Space A travel).

If you place yourself on the wait list and need to find interim housing, make sure there’s a clause in your rental contract regarding breaking the contract for base housing reasons. While many rental agencies near military installations do have “military clauses” which allow service members to break leases for deployment, training or military orders that send them 50 miles away or more, they do not provide for terminating a contract when base housing becomes available. Read the contract carefully and talk to the landlord about your circumstances.

Before putting your name on a housing wait list, go to the area and see it for yourself. Talk to the neighbors, check your cell phone coverage, ask them where the local post office is and where they buy their groceries. See what they say when you ask if they like it there and what advice they’d give someone trying to decide between living on-base or off. You’ll be surprised at the candid and helpful advice and be able to make a better informed decision for yourself before getting stuck in any kind of contract.

If you have a child in the EFMP, base housing can be a blessing, as it’s mandated by federal law to accommodate your families’ needs with wheel chair ramps and other medically necessary upgrades. Make sure to talk to your EFMP counselor and base housing to let them know about your situation, which can bump you up on the housing list and flag them to help you get settled in.

The major downside of on-base housing (and the reason so many opt not to, in addition to wait times) is that by not living out in town, your service member will lose his monthly BAH.  In some pricier areas, the BAH may not adequately cover the costs of civilian housing (a reason to choose on base housing ) but in other areas, it’s more than enough, leaving you and your honey with a little extra cash at the end of the month to cover utilities and put into savings. You can find your BAH rates at CinCHouse's Military Pay Estimator. It's also a terrific way to guesstimate how much you should expect to spent on monthly rent or a mortgage payment.

For more information on the base housing your area, check with the local Housing office or visit their website which should offer available homes, waitlist information and even floor-plans for new or recently renovated housing. Additionally, the Department of Defense is in the process of setting up a website at https://www.ahrn.com/ which will eventually allow active duty service members to list their for rent or for sale homes on the site. Finally, check in with your fellow military spouses in the CinCHouse discussion forums. They'll give you the real gouge on which housing is roach infested and where it's safe to live.