KING 5 | Over 200 new homes are being built on JBLM, demand for housing expected to increase
By: Connor Board
Around 70% of service members live off base because there’s not enough housing.
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. — Joint Base Lewis McChord leaders (JBLM) and some community leaders gathered Tuesday to celebrate the groundbreaking of over 200 new homes for military families.
Around 58,000 service members are stationed at JBLM. That’s around 80,000 people including their families. JBLM leaders said around 70% of them live off base because there’s not enough housing.
“So, there’s 5,159 houses currently that Liberty Housing owns and manages here on Joint Base Lewis-McChord,” said Philip Rizzo, Liberty Military Housing CEO.
Rizzo said the addition of the 212 homes will allow more service members to have a safe and affordable place to live in a supportive atmosphere.
The new homes are being built within JBLM North’s Meriwether Landing community. Liberty Military Housing said the homes will be duplex style with four bedrooms and are meant for families. Construction is set to start this spring.
The Joint Base Garrison Commander said these new homes are an important investment because there is currently not enough housing on base. They are expecting more service people to be stationed at JBLM in the next five years.
“212 homes is absolutely critical, but it is just a start,” said Colonel Kent Parker, Joint Base Garrison Commander. “We will need a lot more homes in the future. Cost of living is high off the installation, so we want to be able to bring family members onto the base.”
Liberty Military Housing said the homes are helping them to prepare for that expected increase in service people.
“Joint Base Lewis-McChord is the largest joint base on the West Coast, and it’s pivotal as the Department of Defense has what they are calling a ‘pivot’ to the Pacific,” Rizzo said. “So, we’re going to see additional soldiers and airmen assigned to Joint Base Lewis-McChord in the coming years, and that demand for housing is only going to increase. So, we’re trying to get ahead of that and make sure that we have housing available to accommodate the new folks.”
Liberty Military Housing said there are some waitlists for on-base housing, depending on the type of house and area service members are looking at.
Representative Marilyn Strickland has advocated for more housing on base for years. In 2022, she said there was a housing crisis at JBLM and an extensive waitlist. She said new homes on base are long overdue.
“Today, we’re celebrating the groundbreaking for 200 units of housing,” Strickland said. “But those of you who know me and the work I do in D.C. understand that I am on top of the Department of the Army because the numbers should be 1,000 and then some.”
The first homes are expected to have families move into them in early 2026.