What happens when a military family cannot find housing when they PCS, such as in the case of mass gains?
We are an Army family moving this summer from Germany to Ft. Riley, KS. There are thousands of families also being moved to this area. On post housing has been totally depleted, and off post housing is also scarce. Because there is such demand, I anticipate landlords taking advantage and raising rents, etc. Higher cost of living will mean higher BAH, but not right away. We are a growing family with a teen son, a toddler and another baby due in December. What happens if we can't find a place to live? Short term housing is bound to be at a premium as well. We don't make enough money to save a lot for move-in costs... This situation is very troubling. I worry that we'll be forced to pay much more than we can ever afford or worse, that we'll be without a place to stay. Does anybody have any experience with such a move?
Military - 4 Answers
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1 :
Thats Military life for you... I served in the Marines for 25 Yrs. Unfortunately this is a problem all the time, and for some reason the Military does not consider the Families as much as they say they do. Honestly from experience, I would try to contact Base Housing and (TRY) to lock on a house before you move. Or your second option is to find a realtor in the area you are moving to and get them to look for a place for you. The Marine Corps also has a thing called sponsors. Where the command picks a person from your new dutystation to help you transition to the new place. That could help you also. I hope this helped you a little. Thank you for serving our country... Russ
2 :
Been there, done that! This is more typically a problem at OCONUS locations but as you are learning, the misguided consolodations pushed through by the current administration are impacting things on the home front as well. Unfortunately there is no easy solution for you. The military answer is usually to expand the local commuting area. Normally a one hour commute is considered "local" and all assigned military personnel are required to live in this area. When housing is in short supply, the local military commander usually expands this area to 90 or 120 minutes. That solves his or her "problem" but does nothing for you. If you haven't been assigned a sponsor yet, get in touch with your gaining unit and have one assigned. They will start the search for you prior to your arrival. Also, contact the housing office at Ft Riley to get the ball rolling there as well. You may want to consider giving your sponsor a limited power-of-attorney to sign a lease for you. It should contain a clause limiting the maximum rent, deposit, etc. Yes, going sight-unseen sucks, but at least it's a roof over your head. In severe circumstances, the post housing office may coordinate all off-post rentals and assign rental housing to incoming members. When this happens, you're typically allowed one "free" refusal of "adequate" housing so think carefully about what's offered, bearing in mind that the least desireable properties are usually reserved for the "second choice" list. Based on your family size, you'll probably be limited to 3 bedrooms so refusing a 3 bedroom home as too small won't be justified.
3 :
All of us have had this experience. Be sure to check in at the Post Housing Office BEFORE you sign any rental agreement. They may have something in their files for you. And, certainly, they will protect you from those unscrupulous landlords that would try to charge more than what's fair. Also, you should always have a "reassignment" clause in any rental agreement you sign, so you're not penalized if you get reassigned before the end of the agreement, which the Housing Office will make sure is done.
4 :
We are also in the process of moving from Germany to Fort Riley!!! We got really lucky and found a house that we could afford to buy, but its outside of the post. Sometimes looking outside of the post, and the closest towns to the post, you can find something affordable, and available! We will be living in Topeaka, which is an hour away from post. Don't forget that you will have access to the AER program on post, and they will help you with your financial situation if you need them. Try getting ahold of a realtor also, before you move. Some of the towns around Fort Riley that are more affordable are Chapman, Salina, Topeka, Manhatten and Wakefield. Those are just a few options. Good luck to you and your family!
