Tenant bill of rights this year

The Defense Department expects its new bill of rights for tenants in privatized military housing will be done soon, and expects to enact the bill early this year, once it finishes incorporating 18 provisions mandated by Congress in the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act. “DoD is recommitted to its Military Housing Privatization Initiative oversight role … and is currently working with the MHPI partners to ensure delivery of safe, quality, well-maintained housing for service members and their families,” Pentagon spokesperson Charles Prichard said. Each service chief will need to sign off on the document, a main pillar of DoD’s attempt to empower families that live in homes owned by private landlords. Thirty-two of the military’s 79 privatized military family housing projects fall under the Air Force, including Keesler and Columbus AFBs, Miss. Navy facilities in Mississippi include NCBC Gulfport and NAS Meridian. Additionally, across the Gulf Coast region, NAS Pensacola and Whiting Field, and Naval Support Activity Panama City, Fla. Fourteen companies manage housing for DoD. Last year, the military services jointly proposed a draft bill of rights as numerous problems with privatized housing management came to light. (Source: AF Magazine 01/08/20) https://www.airforcemag.com/military-tenant-bill-of-rights-almost-ready/