According to the Department of Defense in the mid-1990s, over 300,000 houses on the base required significant renovation. However, the issue is that they could not afford the cost to modernize the home.
The Pentagon proposed privatization to reduce costs. With this budget strategy, it provided a private developer to take over the housing situation.
It was a great deal at first, and companies took over 99% of domestic military family housing. However, it created corruption and failed to benefit military families. The government would pay rent directly out of the service member's paycheck bonuses and fees. The solution reaped tremendous profit for the developers even when they did not provide adequate utilities and services for the military families.
The problem is that the private developer failed to maintain the property appropriately. As a result, military families had to suffer the consequences. At Converged Services, we help you find smart utilities and technologies for community residencies, like military housing. Following these tips and tricks will help you provide the right amenities for your community.
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Holding the Developer Accountable
If the developer does not live up to their agreements to maintain the properties appropriately for the military family, then they should not be rewarded with bonuses and payment. The Secretary of Defense should standardize the lease and review all housing contracts for the violation before the renewal process.
Housing Staff
Everybody should have a housing staff to support the military family. The office should also have authorities to inspect the house on base to ensure that it’s clean, safe, and meet all the requirements.
The Pentagon should publish an annual report containing the housing contract and financial details. The private developer should issue an annual financial statement detailing their performance.
Political officials should not oversee the property as this may be a conflict of interest. After all, Congress can benefit from investing in military housing companies, therefore profiting.
Protecting the Family
The military families should get a Bill of Rights in writing. This paper supports the fact that the family can withhold payment from a landlord who does not abide by the rules. If repairs are not complete, then the family can withhold payment. If the repair is extreme to the point that the family needs to relocate, then the landlord has to pay for that as well.
Integrating Technology
With the advancement of technology, there should be connectivity and smart devices to improve military housing. Converged Services help you find state of the art technology to improve living situations. We can help you find quality Internet, video, phone, excellent amenities, and much more, while adhering to your budget. Plus, we offer home security systems to keep families safe.
Integrating technology into the military living situation can keep families safe and provide them with easy access to the Internet. The issue with this technology is that it might compromise privacy, but with a detailed consultation with the Converged Services' team, we can help you find the right providers for fast digital connection and enhanced communication without compromising the community’s privacy.
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Why Families Live On a Base
There are pros and cons to living on a military base. The Department of Defense can provide high-quality housing to military families. Plus, they offer a community that offers stability and support for reassignment and deployment.
Service members living on base can have a basic allowance for housing (BAH). The BAH provides military family housing compensation as an income stream for support. Plus, being in a military community can help your family adjust to the situation.
The group tends to look out for one another, so if anything were to happen to your loved one, the community could support them. The issue with living on base is that there’s a lack of privacy.
For example, The CO member might end up being your next-door neighbor. Another issue is that the BRAC, which stands for Base Realignment and Closure Commissioner, can shut down any military bases that are no longer in need. Because of this, a lot of military families will have to relocate to another station. This issue might not be a good idea for families who crave stability. That’s why Converged Services can benefit your housing community with enhanced security systems.
Final Note
Being in the military or having family members involved can be pretty stressful without the right service providers. Fortunately, there are quality housing situations for military families. Because of the need to reduce costs, these houses ultimately become privatized. Unfortunately, privatized homes tend to be kept at a lower quality or below standard levels.
Luckily, there are ways to improve military family housing. For example, it’s imperative to hold developers accountable by not providing payment until the house is at an appropriate standard. Every house should have a staff to support the family. These authorities inspect the home to ensure that it's safe and clean.
There should be annual reports and financial statements that indicates the contract and business detail. The military family should not be overcharged or pay unnecessary fees. That means the landlord should complete full repair and maintenance before getting paid.
The most crucial aspect of improving military housing is integrating technology into the process. With Converged Services, you can improve the living situation for military families, so they have better security and communication systems in place.
With all of these necessary strategies, this can ensure that military families are living in quality places while their loved ones serve the country. 
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