Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) asked Liberty Military Housing how the company plans to address the extensive waiting list for housing that servicemembers and their families are encountering at Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM).
“For months, I have received troubling messages regarding the housing crisis at JBLM,” said Strickland. “Servicemembers and their families deserve specific answers from Liberty Military Housing about how they will address tenant concerns and reduce the waitlist by getting families housed. I won’t stop fighting until they receive it.”
Liberty Military Housing is the privatized housing provider at JBLM. They are responsible for managing and developing family housing communities, building new housing, renovating existing housing, and demolishing and rebuilding existing housing in other areas.
The full letter text can be found below and here.
Ms. Ramos,
As Liberty Military Housing continues its ambitious six-year, $100 million renovation project at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), I wanted to make you aware of the concerns that my staff and I continue to receive about the extensive housing waiting list. I am also concerned that there was a 7.2-point drop in the FY2022 Tenant Satisfaction Survey. To be clear, I applaud the decision to renovate the homes at JBLM and will continue to support this work to ensure that JBLM becomes a Platinum A List installation.
As of August 22, 2022, there are 5,139 homes on JBLM, 4,800 of which are occupied. There are only 124 homes vacant for renovation or another reason and 235 homes vacant for between occupancy-maintenance. There are currently 759 households on the waiting list.
As you know, it is Department policy to rely on the private sector as the primary source of housing for accompanied and unaccompanied personnel that can receive a housing allowance. It is assumed that approximately one-third of servicemembers live in either government or privatized housing.
When I reviewed the waiting list in June 2021, there were 776 families on the waiting list, and when I reviewed the list in April 2022, there were 771 families on the waiting list. I understand that there are a variety of facts that can impact the waiting list, including Permanent Change of Station (PCS) season in the summer and renovation catch up due to the COVID-19 pandemic staffing and supply shortages, but given the multi-year extensive waiting list at JBLM, many on and off the base continue to have concerns about the capacity of on-base housing to welcome servicemembers and their families who desire to live on the installation.
As mentioned, I am very concerned that JBLM only received an overall satisfaction rate of 64.5 points in the FY22 Summary of Tenant Satisfaction Results for the Army’s Residential Communities Initiative (RCI). This is an overall drop of 7.2 points and moves JBLM’s overall score from average to poor. JBLM’s score went down in every possible area where there was an installation breakdown. I am especially alarmed that the service satisfaction index went down 9.1 points, the readiness to solve problems score went down 10.8 points, responsiveness and followthrough went down 10.7 points, and quality of management services went down 9.8 points. While I understand that staffing shortages are likely impacting some of these scores, JBLM servicemembers and their families deserve better. I would appreciate a briefing on your strategy to improve tenant satisfaction given the sharp drop in your score, including your overall action plan to improve portfolio performance.
I understand that you have just completed your consolidated Out-year Development Plan. If available for distribution, please send it to me at your earliest convenience.
I would also like more frequent updates on the JBLM waiting list -either at a monthly or quarterly cadence until the six-year renovation project is complete. Please let me know which reporting cadence is actionable by October 27, 2022, and when you will begin sending this data. When you send the waiting list, please include the following information on the waiting list:
- A breakdown of the populations on your waiting list, including:
- Those who are moving to JBLM with Permanent Change of Station orders (PCS)
- Those who are trying to move on base from off the installation
- Those who are trying to move from one home on the installation to another
- Those who are moving from unaccompanied housing to accompanied housing
- Any other data that you think is reasonable
- The average time a household is on the waiting list broken, down by the previously mentioned populations on the waiting list
- A breakdown of the waiting list by service and rank
- The average time a household is on the waiting list broken down by service and rank
- If tracked, a breakdown of the waiting list by number of dependents
- If tracked, a breakdown of the waiting list by neighborhood
I’ve also received several questions from constituents regarding the renovations on JBLM. Please answer the following questions:
- I understand that Liberty Military Housing plans to renovate 1,000 homes. Please tell me how many home renovations you have completed, how many homes remain, and how many remain.
- As you complete between-occupancy-maintenance on homes at JBLM, please tell me how many times, on average a home must go through property inspections by either the garrison or the tenant before it is released for occupation.
- As you complete renovations or other work to cause a home to be vacant at JBLM, please tell me how many times on average a home has to go through property inspections by either the garrison or the tenant before it is released for occupation.
- What percentage of servicemembers are assumed to live on JBLM?
- Is that percentage laid out in policy or instructions somewhere, and if so, please send this policy to me at your earliest convenience.
- What percentage of servicemembers currently live on JBLM, given the ongoing renovation project?
While I remain concerned about the lengthy wait list and the steep drop in tenant satisfaction, I do applaud the work that you are doing to renovate the homes at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. I look forward to partnering with you to ensure that the servicemembers at JBLM are adequately and safely housed.
Sincerely,
Marilyn Strickland
Member of Congress
U.S. Representative Marilyn Strickland serves on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and is the only African-American woman who serves on the House Armed Services Committee. She is a member of the New Democrat Coalition, is one of the first Korean-American women elected to Congress and is the first African-American elected to represent the Pacific Northwest at the federal level.
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