Base housing privatization process to begin

  • Published
  • By Chrissy Cuttita
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AFB, Fla. --  With the signing of the Congressional Notification of Intent to Award letter Sept. 11, Tyndall's privatization process will begin for families here. 

"Housing privatization is an exciting initiative that will greatly improve the quality of life for many of our Tyndall Airmen," said Lt. Col. Alan Lake, 325th Mission Support Group commander. The award of this contract will lead to better housing quicker than any other available avenue and will significantly enhance living conditions for military families residing on the installation." 

On Oct. 12, the developer will be officially named and permitted to occupy office space within the housing office and housing maintenance facility. The effort to privatize base housing has been underway since November 2003. 

The National Defense Authorization Act requires Congressional notification 30 days prior to the award of a contract for a military family housing privatization project. 

"During this period, the housing staff and the developer will complete behind-the-scenes functions to allow for a smooth transition," said Yvonne Brabham, 325th Civil Engineer Squadron housing flight chief. 

Housing residents have the option of staying in privatized housing or moving off base. If they choose to stay, the first step is to complete and sign a "Data Release Statement," which is due to the housing office by Oct. 2. 

This statement gives the housing office the authority to release a resident's housing information to the developer. All residents must sign this statement before they will be allowed to sign a lease to occupy privatized housing. 

This statement was e-mailed to first sergeants and will be distributed throughout the squadrons here. The housing office can also e-mail one to anyone who didn't receive it. 

Residents are encouraged to attend the town hall meeting scheduled 6 p.m. Oct. 16 at the Youth Center. Residents will have the opportunity to meet the developer's staff, learn the "nuts and bolts" about privatization, find out what the developer plans to do with housing and ask questions. 

The final step is to sign the approved residential lease. If residents are deployed or planning to be deployed within the next three months, a spouse or a "responsible adult" will need to have a special power of attorney. This will give someone other than the deployed member the authority to sign a lease and start the basic allowance for housing allotment to the developer. 

Lease signing is scheduled from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 17 - 20 at the Education Center. Once residents complete these steps, they will be prepared to live in privatized housing. 

A base housing resident who chooses to move off base must move off base before Dec. 1. The move will be subsidized by the government to move to the local area of Panama City. The housing office prepares all the relocation orders. 

Beginning Nov. 30, the developer will assume management and operation of base housing. 

The housing office will not close. It will still be the first place Airmen go to find a place to live when they get assigned to Tyndall. The housing office will continue to help Airmen find privatized housing or off-base housing. The housing office will also help if residents have problems with their privatized house that are not resolved through the developer.