Creating innovative housing management solutions for the U.S. military has been central to the Military Housing Privatizing Initiative (MHPI) mission since its inception.
The unique structure of the MHPI’s Public-Private Ventures (PPVs) gives housing management companies the flexibility to develop solutions and implement programs quickly to address residents’ needs and concerns.
Military housing companies continuously assess their operations and solicit feedback from residents and military partners to identify opportunities to improve the services they provide. Since 2018, they have progressively implemented a wide range of solutions to address important issues raised by service members and their families. Many of the changes made over the last two years are now reflected as requirements in the Department of Defense’s recently published Tenant Bill of Rights.
The Military Housing Association (MHA) fully supports every provision included in the Tenant Bill of Rights and facilitates a forum for member companies to help them develop and share best practices.
The MHA also supports provisions in last year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) designating the responsibilities of tenants to work with companies to maintain safe, quality housing.
New Tools and Services for Military Communities
Working directly with the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marines, military housing companies have introduced industry-leading technologies and services for residents across the country. Specifically, MHA members have:
- Introduced mobile apps and upgraded online resident portals to streamline the process for handling service requests by allowing residents to submit, track, and manage service requests online.
- Implemented new protocols for service requests, including new notifications to residents when service requests are opened and when they are completed, additional surveying and telephone follow-up to ensure families are satisfied.
- Updated environmental protocols to ensure consistency and improve communication with residents on environmental matters.
- Worked with each Branch of Service to develop and endorse a standardization of assessment and remediation for environmental hazards that can be adopted by MHA member companies.
- Retained third-party experts to help inform enhancements to existing maintenance policies and procedures and strengthen training programs for maintenance staff and technicians.
Consistent, transparent communication with residents is intended to ensure these changes make a real difference to military communities, which is why our members are promoting new ways for residents’ recommendations and concerns to be heard, including more town halls, open forums and other opportunities for in-person and virtual engagement.
More Changes Are Coming
Military housing partners continue to work with each Branch of Service to create consistencies across the leasing process, giving residents simple and easy to understand documents that simplify the leasing process.
MHA member companies are also working diligently with the Department of Defense and project lenders to finalize the implementation of the full Resident Bill of Rights.
Working Together with Residents
In addition to the commitments private military housing companies have made to provide residents with safe, quality housing, it’s important that companies and residents work together. Residents also play an important role in helping companies maintain the quality of their homes. Last year’s NDAA also included a list of Resident Responsibilities, which outlines specific steps residents must take to play their part.
The Military Housing Association is proud to bring leading military housing companies together to find new ways to enhance services for service members and their families and serve as a forum for industry innovation.
Our top priority is providing service members and their families with safe, quality housing, and we will continue to work alongside our military housing partners to make sure that is what we deliver.