What is the family housing PPV program?

General questions about PPV

Q: Why are we doing PPV in the first place?

A: A shrinking housing budget coupled with aging housing units and maintenance backlog make it difficult for the Navy to provide quality housing for our service members. The public private venture partnership will make it possible for the Navy to renovate and construct family housing quickly and affordably.

Q: Will there be effective oversight by the government of this PPV program?

A: Yes, the Navy as well as the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Installation and Environment support appropriate oversight. This oversight will be applied by the Department of Navy representative and the Navy's business agreement manager as well as the Navy's on-site housing staff. On-site Navy housing staff will work daily with the partner's staff and the Department of the Navy representative who will meet with the partner on an as required basis but at least quarterly to review operations. They will also receive monthly status reports that will address occupancy issues, the project's financial status, etc.

Q: What impact will privatization have on individual installations?

A: Ideally, privatization will bring about a dramatic improvement of the installations' housing conditions and services for military members and their families, and consequently, an increase in their quality of life, readiness, morale and retention. One major improvement is the quality and quantity of maintenance on the housing units. However, some inconveniences may occur throughout the transition period during which some housing will be either renovated or constructed.

Q: When will PPV start?

A: Scheduled implementation date is Sept. 30, 2007, some transition may occur 30 days prior to that date.

Q: What will happen to excess family housing (FH) units?

A: Will be determined during exclusive negotiations between the Navy and the partner.

Q: Can residents live in their assigned unit if it is scheduled for closing?

A: Will be determined during exclusive negotiations between the Navy and the partner.

Q: How much housing is Department of Defense's (DoD) planning to privatize?

A: DoD currently has an inventory of approximately 257,000 family housing units of which approximately 132,000 have already been privatized. Its current plans are to privatize roughly 160,000-170,000 or more than 70 percent of existing family housing units. However, there is no ceiling set on the number of units expected to be built or reconditioned under the plan.

Q: How much housing is DoD planning to privatize?

A: DoD currently has an inventory of 166,000 family housing units-with about 50,000 inadequate units. Its current plans are to privatize roughly 185,000 family housing units. However, there is no ceiling set on the number of units expected to be built or reconditioned under the plan (source: http://www.acq.osd.mil/housing/faqs.htm#10)

Q: How is privatized housing similar to military housing?

A: A few of the similarities are:

1. Zero out of pocket expenses for residents; rent is based on BAH

2. You will continue to live in a military community

3. Government pays for the cost of moves into PPV units for eligible service members

4. You will continue to go to the Navy's Housing Welcome Center for housing in the community referral.

5. The Navy Housing Welcome Center will receive your application for PPV housing and will refer you to the property management company.

Q: How is privatized housing different from military housing?

A: Units are managed and operated by a private property management company.

1. You must sign a lease. The lease will include a "military clause."

2. You will receive BAH and pay rent directly to the property manager.

3. The property management company handles all resident matters, including day-to-day maintenance.

Q: Is the Navy reviewing lessons learned from existing PPV projects?

A: Yes, Navy is looking at all existing PPV deals, to include those from other Department of Defense services to ascertain the best aspects of the projects and is incorporating those lessons in future deals.

Q: What is the resident advisory board and who is on it?

A: The resident advisory board will be created to support the partner and the Department of Navy (DoN) on matters that affect resident satisfaction and quality of life. It will review resident satisfaction surveys, property manager performance, and construction process and quality. The resident advisory board will report its findings to the management board and make recommendations on resident issues to the partner and DoN members. Recommended DoN participants include the activity business manager, command master chief or sergeant major, activity housing representative, elected residents and the Resident Officer in Charge of Construction office.

Q: How does the PPV program impact families where the non-military member does not work?

A: PPV has no adverse impact on working spouses. It has no affect on your ability to utilize programs such as Women, Infants, and Children, Head Start and other income qualifying assistance programs.

Q: Why is my benefit of living in Navy/government housing being taken away?

A: There is no loss of benefit. You still have the opportunity to reside in housing and for an amount equal to your BAH. The only difference is that in lieu of forfeiting your BAH (to pay for your housing and utilities), you now will receive it, and then pay that amount to the partner in the form of rent, utilities, and basic renter's insurance. The DoN is embracing the PPV initiative in order to provide high quality, affordable housing and provide enhanced property maintenance faster than would be available under the normal military construction.

Q: Will accompanied active duty always have priority?

A: Yes.

Q: Can active duty displace those with a lower priority?

A: We expect those other than accompanied families to have no more than a six months lease If there are accompanied active duty families on a waiting list, the partner will not renew the existing lease for a lower priority resident.

Q: Will there be a screening process for civilians authorized to live on base?

A: Yes. Specifics will be negotiated between the Navy and the partner.

Q: Will civilians approved to live on base be monitored at the gates?

A: Yes, to the same extent as anyone else having access to the base. Q: What will the new rules (community policies) be?

A: The new property manager (at the resident meetings) will discuss community policies. Generally, they will be the same as the existing Navy policies.

Q: If the general public moves into FH, will they have access to other base facilities?

A: No.

Q: Will the fence line be moved?

A: Will be determined during exclusive negotiations between the Navy and the partner, but in most cases, this has not occurred.

Q: How does DoN plan to address episodes of financial irresponsibility that may occur by occupants of PPV Housing?

A: Currently, the Navy housing office provides counseling on this issue. The Navy very much encourages residents of PPV Housing to utilize electronic funds transfer for payment of rent and level payment plans for payment of utilities. The Navy is looking at all avenues for education on financial responsibility, for example command master chiefs and Fleet and Family Support Center counselors. Alternately financial irresponsibility will be the responsibility of the PPV partner.

Q: What recourse will military families occupying PPV Housing have if the property manager is irresponsive to service needs?

A: If the local property manager is unresponsive then the resident will be able to contact a corporate regional representative. Also, personnel at the Housing Welcome Center, including its military liaison, will continue to be available to occupants of PPV Housing.

Q: What about privatizing barracks and DoD lodging?

A: DoD is currently testing privatization of barracks in Norfolk and San Diego and would like to privatize additional barracks and lodging where and when it is feasible.