PRIVATIZATION OF MILITARY HOUSING STILL IN THE WORKS AT EGLIN AFB

For a note of history, we had over 2750 military homes at Eglin and the surrounding area a year or so ago. I can tell you from experience since I lived on Eglin as a kid, they could basically withstand a hurricane but looked like a square box. The military has demanded two things in the their housing program. First choice is to give the servicemembers an housing allowance and have them live of base. Second choice is to build quality housing as a last resort and only the amount to meet to the military population who would have problems renting or buying in the area. As you can see below, Eglin is reducing their housing inventory and more military members are coming to our area. Therefore, the private sector will have to meet the gap. Meeting that gap in today's banking world is the challenge. Any suggestions from the banking world in taking care of this tremendous need. The builder's need money to buy lots and build for our military.



Privatization still in play for military housing (MAP)
Mona Moore
2010-01-11 19:31:58

EGLIN AFB — Eglin Air Force Base still has not given up on privatizing its military housing.
A fourth attempt at privatization will continue with this week’s public scoping meetings. The meetings give area residents an opportunity to voice opinions on the possible housing sites under consideration before a final decision is made. The first meeting will be held tonight at Northwest Florida State College in the Mattie Kelly Arts Center. Like the other meetings this week, the Niceville meeting is scheduled from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The Air Force will begin a formal presentation at 6:30 p.m. followed by a question and answer period. Residents near the Niceville campus would be most affected by alternatives that include building family housing in the White Point area and on a 2,458-acre parcel of the reservation one mile southeast of Mossy Head. The White Point land lines the coast of Choctawhatchee Bay south of Niceville. About 416 acres near SR 20 are under consideration. The Air Force also will look at 694 acres on Eglin Main Base. The largest parcel (620 acres) is located in the southwest corner of Eglin Main Base adjacent to the New Plew housing area. The remaining parcels are located along the northeast border of Eglin Main Base, near the East Gate and adjacent to Valparaiso.
Wednesday’s meeting will be at the Crestview Community Center. A possible site near SR 85 would have the greatest impact on residents in the area. The option under consideration includes two parcels of land totaling 567 acres between Duke Field and Yellow River.
Thursday’s meeting will be in the Fort Walton Beach Municipal Auditorium. One of the Air Force’s options includes land north of SR 189 and adjacent to the Northwest Florida Fairgrounds. The alternative also includes land — the Camp Pinchot and Poquito Bayou expansion areas — looked at in a previous privatization attempt.
Grassroots organizations opposed building homes in those areas when the idea was introduced in 2005 and 2006. The Camp Pinchot Historic District is not included in the new plans. During the project, the private developer will collect rent for the nine historic units currently in use. Once new housing is built and the families relocated, the historic homes will be turned back over to Eglin. In all, the new housing project will include up to 1,477 units. The developer will construct 548 units for Hurlburt Field and 929 units for Eglin. As it works to finalize the location of the new housing, Eglin already has spent $13 million on renovations to existing base housing. In addition to the meetings, comments received by Feb. 1 will be included in the draft Environmental Impact Statement and taken under consideration by the Air Force. People wishing to mail comments or obtain further information should send them to: Mike Spaits, Eglin Public Affairs Office, 101 West D Avenue, Suite 110 Eglin AFB, Florida 32542-5499. Phone: 882-2836; email: mike.spaits@eglin.af.mil